Thought of the day
Paul tells the Ephesians to "be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power" (Ephesians 6:10). That phrase can also be translated as "be strengthened in the Lord." Notice the difference. One sounds like a pep talk: dig deep, toughen up, find it within yourself. The other is an invitation to receive something you don't already have.
This matters because "try harder" eventually runs out. You can grit your teeth through a hard season for a while, but gritted teeth aren't a long-term strategy. Paul isn't asking you to manufacture strength. He's pointing you back to a power that's already been demonstrated: the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him above every ruler and authority (Ephesians 1:19-20). That power isn't something you have to generate. It's something you're invited to stand in.
This is the same pattern that's run through this entire letter. You didn't rescue yourself; God rescued you. You didn't earn your way into the family; Jesus brought you near. And now, as you face real battles, exhaustion, temptation, and discouragement, the same principle holds: you don't stand because you're spiritually impressive. You stand because you belong to Jesus, and His strength is what's actually holding you up.
Think about where you're currently relying on your own grip instead of His. Maybe it's a habit you keep trying to white-knuckle your way out of. Maybe it's a relationship you're trying to fix through sheer effort and good intentions. Maybe it's just exhaustion you keep pushing through instead of bringing it to God.
Today, instead of asking God to help you try harder, ask Him to strengthen you with what you don't have on your own. That's not a lesser kind of faith. It's the only kind that actually holds up.