Empowered | Matt Brown
Empowered
I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
—Ephesians 1:19–20 (nlt)
The apostle Paul wrote about God’s “resurrection power” that is at work in us once we receive the Gospel. On a daily basis, God is working in us and giving us incredible power to help us follow Him. We may not always see it, and we may not always feel it, but it is there.
When we look back over our faith journey, we see more clearly how God has been working in us. But in the day to day, it can often feel as if we are not growing spiritually. Have you ever wondered how long you will struggle with the same sins or fears? Have you ever questioned why you can’t seem to move past baby steps in your faith? Growth as a Christian is a common struggle for all of us because it often looks different than we expected or hoped.
When I was young, my family would go on an annual camping trip with extended family. It was always fun seeing our cousins. One year, I remember one of our cousins had changed drastically since we had been with him a year prior. He was taller and looked much older, and his voice had completely changed—it had gotten deeper. We were shocked at how much he had changed, but he and his family didn’t understand our surprise. They had seen his change one day at a time. We were much more able to notice the changes because we hadn’t been with him for a year. If you’re discouraged by your growth, you may want to ask other believers in your life what they are seeing. Ask if people who have known you for a while see changes in you because of Christ.
This is how Christian growth happens. It is often years before we can truly say: “I may not be where I want to be, but thank God I am not where I used to be.”
A friend once shared, “It is inconceivable to think that the same Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead would come into our lives and do nothing.”
Even when we don’t see it, even when we don’t feel it, Christ is working in us to give us incredible power to follow Him.
Jesus, thank You so much for showing Your power in the midst of weakness on the cross, reminding me that You are strong in my weakness today.
—Matt Brown
This is an excerpt from Chosen, a 30-day devotional (Outreach) by Matt Brown and Ryan Skoog.You can get this book for very discounted rates for use in church-wide campaigns, small group studies, or as a gift book for people who come to faith in Christ, new visitors, or new members at your church. All author proceeds from the book go to feed refugees in some of the toughest areas of the world. Order at: outreach.com/chosen-book/
