We were not created to be "enough." We were created by Him, for Him – HE is our "enough."
"...Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." Ephesians 6:10
Lately, I have been challenged. I have struggled intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually with difficulties regarding family, clients, and a few narcissistic individuals who have a way of creeping into your thoughts and causing emotional mayhem if you let them.
Those complications place a strong demand on me, and they do so while I have been working overtime to launch two major projects that will enable me to help more people more effectively.
I find myself mentally tired some days by 11 a.m., but almost always by 2 p.m. Cognitively, the rest of the day becomes more challenging to navigate. I tell you this not-so-good part so I can tell you the so-good part.
This is the so-good part. Let me give you a “backdrop” for why I am grateful this morning, specifically for the Holy Spirit.
Scripture teaches that one function of the Holy Spirit is to cause us to remember the portions of God’s Word that we have taken in and often memorized. Here is what the Holy Spirit reminded me of this morning.
“…Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” Ephesians 6:10
The following is a note I once wrote to myself (and forgot about till this morning) regarding Ephesians 6:10…
After Ephesians 6:10, there are some practical things we need to do to be “strong in the Lord.” However, Ephesians 6:10 presents a critical foundational statement that must be realized BEFORE proceeding to the verses and instruction that follow.
Ephesians 6:10 states: “be STRONG in the LORD…” NOT simply “be strong”.
And therein is the foundational statement; but it’s subtle—we can easily morph “strong in the Lord” to just – be strong. That is our human way, and it can bring disastrous results in our lives.
We’re told by culture that we should be strong. Be more. “Be all that you can be.” It gets into every bit of us. Girls need bigger, better breasts, better eyebrows, better lips, better faces, better bodies, etc., etc. Men do the same with muscles, looks, career achievements, etc. More money, better job, nicer home, and the list of “better & more” is without end.
Why do we want better & more?
It’s not that wanting to do better is bad; it’s what is the deepest motive for that within us?
Do we have a motive that is actually a deep belief that, ultimately – we’re not enough?
If we try to simply “be strong” and leave off the “in the Lord” part of Ephesians 6:10, I think we may have our focus purely on ourselves. If we do that, then by default, we are then – by ourselves.
We are by ourselves to defend against sin & temptation, and – we are not enough.
We have never been enough.
We were not created to be enough.
We were created by Him, for Him…
“He created
…HE is our “enough.”
Jesus said, “I am the vine
First, I think it’s important to understand that Jesus as God makes it clear that you cannot do anything without Him in the sense that He is God and has total control of His creation. Yes, He can literally make you do something or literally make you stop doing something, but that’s not really the point. He’s given us free will so we do make choices.
That said, what I believe to be the central point of Jesus’ statement is that you cannot do anything of true eternal value without Him. He is God and without being in the relationship with Him through the salvation Christ provided for us by His sacrifice on the cross, we cannot do anything of eternal value while on the planet.
That thoughts then leads to this…
When a branch is removed from the vine, it is by – itself.
It only has itself to rely upon.
It loses strength.
It becomes weak.
It withers.
It loses life.
It dies.
Fortunately, after the philosophical truth of Ephesians 6:10 “be strong in the Lord” comes the practical verses that tell us HOW to be strong in the Lord.
I am grateful to the Lord this morning for helping me remember that though I am in the midst of difficulties, if I remain strong in Him, close to Him, focused on Him, reliant upon Him…
…I can accomplish what He has given me to do.
