Much has been written about “Power.”

Today in reading the Bible (Colossians 1:9-14), St. Paul throws his definition of power on the table:

We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.  10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,  11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully  12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.  13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,  14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:9-14 NIV)

Typically when we think about “power”, we think of the ability to change things. Paul, however, speaks of power as the ability to endure all things!

I think that Paul’s definition is a greater “power” than our typical understanding. Here’s why:

• There are some things that we can never change no matter how “powerful” we are (e.g. death, natural disasters).
• BUT there is nothing we cannot endure if we have God’s power working within us!

So, while we cannot change everything, we can endure anything if we have the strength of God’s power!

These verses are particularly helpful for me today as I sit in the lobby of the Comfort Inn in Rock Hill, SC. Everything that I own is in a Penske truck and all that I love is in a hotel room. Today we continue our search for a house. At this point we’ve looked at close to 50 homes! I may not be able to change our current circumstance but baby… I can endure it with patience, and even joy!

How about you, would you rather have the “power” to change things or the power to endure things?

What’s going on in your life that you need power to endure with patience?