When You Lack Strength
Scripture sometimes frustrates me. I get annoyed when the realities of scripture don’t seem to match my life. Ever happen to you? Like the verse found in Isaiah 40:31, “they will run and not grow weary…” Hmmm. I get tired, really tired, sometimes. Perhaps you do too. What must we do when we run out of steam? Isaiah says, “Wait on the Lord.”
Did you ever wonder how much, or how often, we need to “wait on the Lord?” To experience that reality of running without growing weary? In spite of my quiet time each day, being intentional about connecting with God, and taking rest on the sabbath, at times, I still feel drained.
There is a rest, a strength, that goes deeper than the physical. This is a strength that comes from your inner life. It flows from a different source. This strength comes from a deeply rooted knowledge of how greatly God loves you.
When my strength runs out, I stop and rest. I need to spend time in His Presence. My greatest place of renewal, my source of hope, life, and power, though is my growing revelation of His great love.
Paul prays for his disciples in Ephesus. He writes…
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Eph. 4: 16-19 NIV
Knowing His Love
1) Rooted and established in love
There is a difference between knowing intellectually that God says He loves us and being rooted and established in His love. When a tree is well-rooted, storms don’t knock it over. It can’t be moved.
God’s love is the soil in which our faith grows strong. This rootedness takes time. It’s not automatic.
How long has it been since you sat still and let God love on you? Since you let Him whisper in your ear how great He thinks you are? Listen to His still small voice whisper. Yes, even now. “I think you are amazing…you are my delight…” Let the roots of your love relationship with Him go deep. Allow God to establish you more deeply in His love.
2) Grasping love’s limitless nature
Our limited minds find limitless things hard. We need God’s help to comprehend how great His love for us is. What is the biggest thing you can imagine? The ocean? The sky? His love for you is far greater.
Think of a huge storehouse, full of bags and bags of rice. No matter how many people you invited for meals, day after day, it would take forty or fifty years to use up all that rice. Thousands of 100-kilo bags, as far as your eye can see. More than enough to last you a lifetime. More than enough to give away to anyone you want to feed.
Still, that is not as limitless as God’s love for you.
His love is more than enough, it will never run out. It’s so limitless that we can give it away, again, and again. There will always, always, be more where that came from.
When you’ve given, and given, when you feel empty, when your well has run dry, go to the storehouse. Grab another bag. There is plenty of God’s love available for you.
Filled to the Fullness
Lack strength for today? Did you wake up wondering if you have what it takes to keep going? Lean into His love. Sit for a moment. Ponder the incredible, simple, truth – “Jesus loves me, this I know.”
Be filled today with the fullness of God. When you lack strength, let a fresh revelation of how greatly He loves you grow deeper roots. God loves you not because of the work you do for Him and His Kingdom. He loves you because you are you.
What makes it difficult for you to comprehend His great, personal love for you? What gets in your way? Share in the comments below or on the Missionary Life Facebook group.