Life is challenging enough even with God in one’s life; it is hard to imagine navigating this world without Him. To endure the suffering of this life, we must pray for God to give us the strength required to persevere.
The Apostle Paul taught that we should pray to be strengthened with God’s glorious power (Col. 1:11). We don’t need some of Him; we need as much as He offers. Our personal efforts and internal strengths will not suffice. We require the emboldening that God’s unmatched might delivers. If you had to choose between the two, whom do you trust more – God or yourself?
11 being strengthened with all power,according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. 13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 14 In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1:11-14
We pray; God strengthens. And His power provides us with two key elements essential for our survival – endurance and patience (Col. 1:11).
There will be suffering in our lives that we cannot remove. We will experience situations we cannot change. God provides the endurance required to make it through difficult times and challenging realizations.
God also provides the patience that we need. Patience for what? We need God-given patience to remember that our present struggles will not be eternal realities.
We may see our circumstances change for the better in this life, but even if we don’t, we have eternity to experience the thorough cleansing of the world’s frailties. That perspective is the patient we need!
As the gospel transforms us from the domain of darkness into saints standing in the light (Col. 1:12-13), our lives will be fully pleasing to God. Disciples of Jesus ought to strive to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord (Col. 1:10).
The fact that Jesus redeems us allows us to endure the sufferings of this life with a surprising trait – joy. I don’t typically think of enduring suffering and waiting with patience as sprinkled with joy, but it was for Paul. It is necessary for us.
As we pray, we endure “joyfully” (Col. 1:11) if we can maintain the perspective of gratitude toward our Father for saving us (Col. 1:12).
Travis Agnew serves as the Lead Pastor of Rocky Creek Church in Greenville, SC. His most recent book is Just (About) Married.
