By Brad Hutchcraft
Nashville wasn't a place I thought about much...until I had someone living there who I love very much. So, when the news of power outages in that area hit this week, I found myself extraordinarily invested in the situation. I typically keep up with the news, but this went deeper - following the local electric company on social media, glued to updates, checking other people's posts about Nashville.
The same question was on my mind that all the locals there had and many continue to have as they wait: when will the power be restored?
As I waited for word, I couldn't help but think of the times that has been true in my walk with the Lord. It's in those times where I've felt drained of my strength, weak and powerless. Not just "end of a long work day" drained, but "will this season ever end?" drained.
And I'm left asking, “Lord, when will the power be restored?”
In those times, I have often found myself asking the Lord to send His power, and to give me strength for what I'm going through. But I've realized that I'm praying for something that God has already promised!
See, God promises me and promises you His strength and His power. It's there staring back at me from my Bible in black and white:
“...your strength will equal your days” (Deuteronomy 33:25).
It's not as much about praying that He will give me the strength, as believing His promise that the strength is already there. I need to draw close to Him and download His strength for that very day and that very moment, when needed.
What a rich blessing it is that my power is not based on my strength, but on His!
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10).
My power outage does not originate with the Source. Just like in Nashville right now, there has been something that has interrupted the power supply from its origin to where it needs to go.
God provides His strength and His power to meet whatever I am facing. On my end, I need to make sure there isn't anything that is between Him and me, keeping me from His power supply.
How great is it that He always provides a never-ending power supply for all who follow Jesus!
As the power has come back on for some in Nashville, I have seen and heard much rejoicing. Moving from darkness to light, cold to warmth, powerless to power.
That's how it is for me when going from a time of feeling powerless to fully receiving all the power the Lord sends my way!
For me, part of the power-solution is taking daily time to draw near to Jesus, listen to Him, ask Him what might be keeping the power supply from fully reaching me, and then work to fix whatever it is. Not fixing it on my own, but even then, relying on His power.
Wherever you are feeling a power drain in your life right now, pull away from the distractions and get with Jesus - just you and Him, one-on-one. And as you do, remember one other great "power verse":
“[He] is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20).
Let it be so!