Devotion

Paul prays for a kind of strength that reaches the inner person. Outward strength is useful, but it cannot carry every burden of the heart. We need the Spirit of God to strengthen faith, courage, love, patience, and endurance in places that other people may never see.

The source of this strength is the riches of God’s glory, not the size of our own reserves. That means we do not have to pretend that we are enough. We can come honestly to God with our limitations, knowing that He is able to supply what we lack.

Inner strength shows itself in many quiet ways: choosing patience when irritation rises, staying faithful when results are slow, speaking with grace when we could retaliate, or remaining hopeful in a season of waiting. These are not small victories. They are evidence of the Spirit at work. God is able to make us stronger at the deepest level of life.