For this I labor [often to the point of exhaustion], striving with His power and energy, which so greatly works within me.
Colossians 1:29
How many times have you prayed for God’s strength? As Christians, we often ask God for more of his power, patience or endurance, and we think nothing of it. But is that how the apostles prayed?
In today’s verse, Paul didn’t say, “I’m labouring and striving, Father, so could you send me more of your power and energy?” No, he said, “I’m striving with God’s power and energy which, by the way, works greatly within me!” (my paraphrase). Paul didn’t beg God for more strength; he was confident in the strength that was already in him in Christ.
In Acts 3:6 when Peter came across a crippled beggar, he didn’t say, “Father, please heal this man,” or “Please send me the power to heal this man.” He said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” ! Peter was confident in the healing power that was in him in Christ.
I’m not saying that it’s bad to pray for strength, but notice how Paul did it in Ephesians 3:16: “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man” (NKJV).
You don’t need to pray for strength as though it’s something you need to beg for to come down from heaven. As a believer, this strength is within you through Holy Spirit, and there’s no shortage of it. It’s according to the riches of God’s glory, which have no end, so in him, you have more strength than you’ll ever need!