We hear so much these days about peak performance and excellence, the importance of desire, effort, discipline, commitment, and the power of hard work and persistence. Whew! I get exhausted just reading about it.
But don’t lose heart.
Toward the end of his letter, in Ephesians 6:10 (AMP), the apostle Paul offers some encouraging spiritual advice when he says, “Be strong in the Lord; draw your strength from Him….” The Amplified translation adds, “Be empowered through your union with Him.” A close relationship with Christ gives us the strength to be strong in Him. I simply have to show up and let God be God in me.
Here are three steps I find helpful in growing stronger in my relationship with Christ. I trust they will benefit you.
Accept and follow God’s guidance. That sounds like it would be an obvious step, easy enough; nothing to it but to do it! One of the many scriptures encouraging this is Psalm 32:8 (ESV), where God says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” God promises specific directions, and since He has our best interest in mind, why wouldn’t we be willing to trust His instruction? Willing means ready, eager, prepared to do something. I’ve received great counsel countless times, but I wrote off the advice because I didn’t agree or wasn’t comfortable with the instruction. Being willing to accept God’s way over my own requires that I ditch my stubbornness and be open to Him teaching me His ways— however He sees fit to do that. Psalm 32:9 blatantly instructs us not to be like the horse or mule which have no understanding. And I know exactly what that means.
Give a little. Giving was an essential part of Christ’s ministry—it was the very reason He came to earth. He gave His time, talent, compassion, understanding, forgiveness, encouragement, teaching—His life. Giving was Christ’s purpose. I admit that I am the most selfish person I know. I can easily wrap myself in the comfort of my tiny house and block out the world’s problems. I can horde my belongings and give away only what I don’t want anymore; I can fear never being repaid for what little I do give and be resentful when no one gives back to me. Or I can live open-handed, losing my grip on everything God has blessed me with, and trust that He will supply my needs. When I focus on adding value to the world and contributing to the needs of others, I mirror the gospel message of Jesus Christ and grow stronger. Recall Christ’s words from Luke 6:38 (AMP), “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return.”
Muscle up. When I hear “be strong,” I typically think of physical or emotional strength. So how does this apply to my relationship with Jesus Christ? Ask yourself, “In my current state, how do I cope with overwhelming issues?” or “How do I handle pressure?” Of course, if you have any feeling at all, you will likely be shaken. But if you feel totally devastated and your world seems shattered, you may need to tighten your grip on God’s promises and layer on the solace of God’s peace so that you’re sturdier the next time; oh, yeah, there’ll be a next time. If you are easily affected by hardship and can’t keep from constantly worrying, if you’re easily disturbed or upset, you need to grow some muscle. Though that sounds harsh, it’s said in love. Show the world that being a Christian takes determination, self-control, and good judgment. These are a result of being firmly established in the Word of God.
Jude, the half-brother of Jesus, gave this excellent strength-training advice in verses 20 and 21 (AMPC), “Beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit; guard and keep yourselves in the love of God; expect and patiently wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah)—[which will bring you] unto life eternal.”
May this be your year to become a peak-performance Christian. I challenge you to be all in, sold out, totally devoted, and unified with the cause of Christ. Be strong!
