Be Strong
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” - Ephesians 6:10
I love strength training and exercise, but if I want to feel strong or be able to run a 5k, I have to continually put in the work to make things happen. The same is true in our spiritual lives!
In Ephesians 6, Paul reminds the church of Ephesus to “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” How do we grow to be strong in the Lord? We build our spiritual muscles just like we build our physical muscles through working out! Three easy ways are through scripture, prayer, and community.
- God’s word is our greatest asset and strength when it comes to navigating our day to day. The Bible is our anchor, and a great starting place to center ourselves before we’re bombarded by our phones and the world. What works for me is waking up a little earlier most mornings to read my Bible. This year I’m reading through the entire thing, but you could choose to sit in a specific book of the Bible or topic for however long feels good. Starting my day in God’s word makes all the difference in where my heart and mind are throughout the day.
- Prayer is one of the most beautiful ways to both speak to and listen to God. Whether it’s writing your prayers out in a journal, sitting in silence, or singing your prayers out to God, taking time to both tell him what’s on your heart and taking time to listen for His direction is a necessary part of our Christian walk. One verse I cling to when thinking about prayer is Psalm 62:8 which reminds us to “Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.” This back and forth conversation between God and I keeps me close to Him and strengthens my heart for all I encounter throughout the day.
- Finally, we need other believers in our life to help strengthen our walks with God. Hebrews 10:23-25 calls us to “[…] hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” We need other followers of God to spur us to love others and do what God is calling us to do. While it might be inconvenient or even challenging at times, I never get over my gratitude for friends who love me and love God and who help me, challenge me, and point me towards Him.
As we invest in reading God’s word, talking with Him, and being with His people, we can look back to see how our faith has strengthened. Just like exercise, sometimes strengthening our spiritual lives feels painful or challenging, but it’s always, always worth it. May you feel strengthened in your walk with God today as you draw close to Him.