
Day 40 - With All Your Strength
Emily Green
“And He answered, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.’” - Luke 10:27 NASB
“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9 NLT
Now that we’ve discussed what it’s like to love God with our hearts and souls, let’s discuss what it looks like to love God with our strength. The original Greek word for “strength” in Luke 10:27 is ischys, which means “ability, force, strength, [or] might.”
When I hear “strength,” I automatically think about the gym. Austin and I love going to the gym (#shoutout to our Crunch fam), and I’ve enjoyed learning how to exercise and strengthen my body. One of the crucial things I’ve learned is that strength is built. The people who can lift heavier have earned that ability through training, discipline, and sacrifice. Building physical strength takes work, but building our spiritual strength also takes work.
When we love God with all our strength, we love Him with everything we have, even if we don’t have enough. To love God from our strength means pushing through obstacles and persevering. We push through the point of wanting to quit and continue to live for Him. We love God from our strength by training ourselves through God’s Word, disciplining ourselves to keep going, and sacrificing what we want for what He wants.
Here’s the truth: Even our best strength really isn’t strength at all. In 2 Corinthians, God says, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). So, if you really want to be strong, then you must be weak. Where we’re vulnerable is where we experience the power of God. Paradoxical, right?
If you want to love God with your strength, you must be willing to admit that your power will only get you so far. You must realize where you’re weak and allow the Holy Spirit to strengthen you. And regardless of how you feel, you must choose to run to God in challenging times because this produces true and genuine perseverance (James 1:2-3)!
Next Steps
- Think about it: How often do I admit to God that I need help?
Think about it: How can I build my spiritual strength?
Action Step: Identify an area where you need help (emotionally, physically, spiritually, etc.). Text or call a friend and ask them to pray with you.