Day 70: Colossians 1:11

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy”



Power is one of the biggest idols in our world today. If you’re honest with yourself, deep down most of us crave power.


Power is one of those things that we can easily be consumed with, and when we are, we do all sorts of terrible things to gain power and keep it. We step on people. We cheat, we lie, we steal, and we turn our backs on God.


Funny thing is, God wants to give us power. Let me put it another way. God wants to exercise power through us. He doesn’t want some egotistical alpha-dog brat running around abusing power. He wants a humble servant that allows God to do amazing things through him and then turns around and gives God all the credit.


Paul prays that the Colossians are strengthened with all power. Think about that. Paul wants the Colossians to experience strength based on all of God’s power. That’s a lot of strength, and it’s available to those that will accept it for the glory of God rather than for their own empire-building.


Notice something else really cool here. Most people assume that power is used to overcome, to win, to destroy, and to lead. Paul is praying power for a different reason: endurance and patience.


Weird, right? Paul wants the Colossians to have power so they can be patient and endure what they are going through. Not to overcome it, not to destroy evil, not even to defend themselves, but to endure the hardship at hand and to be patient for God’s working.


The Christian leader does not crave power. They rely on God’s power, which He gives us freely in the Holy Spirit. We use this power not for our gain, but to strengthen us in godliness.


Christian Leadership Principle: Power is not something that we should want or use in our discretion. God exercises His power through us as He sees fit, and we are to glorify Him in it’s use.


Here’s a set of verses to meditate on today: Ephesians 3:14-21


Prayer: Father, help me not to crave power. Help me to recognize Your power and to glorify You for it. Give me your power to strengthen me for patience and endurance. In Christ’s name, amen.