I must confess…there are days when my symptoms scream loudest and groanings of this world feel unbearable, that I can forget how powerful our God is. These are days when, by His always-sufficient grace, His power is made perfect in my very-weak forgetfulness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 is His precious promise when my suffering brings weakness. Sister in Christ, maybe this little writing and the accompanying playlist will encourage both of our hearts to remember His power as we suffer trials.
Our powerful God as Creator
In these weak days, we cling to God’s power. Theologians describe God’s unlimited power as “omnipotent.” He’s able to do anything because He’s all-powerful…over all things. We can rest because nothing can change His total power. When Job cried to the Lord in his suffering, God vividly described His work as Creator and His sustaining power over creation (Job 38-41). He is that powerful!
Our powerful God as Commander
God says,
“Have you commanded the morning since your days began, and caused the dawn to know its place” (Job 38:12)?
I sing the wisdom that ordained
the sun to rule the day;
the moon shines full at his command
and all the stars obey!
(“I Sing the Almighty Power of God,” Watts, I., 1714)
Our powerful God is our glorious Redeemer!
Isn’t it comforting to remember that our heavenly Father drew us to Himself by this power (1 Cor. 1:18)? We are in Christ now! And Who is our powerful Savior?
Jesus “is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Heb. 1:3, emphasis added).
As we come to God’s throne of power, we also come to His throne of grace and everlasting love. We come fully cleansed from sin’s penalty through the blood of Jesus Christ, our glorious Redeemer who bore all of our deserved punishment and was risen in power over sin and death!
So now, we can ask the Lord to strengthen us “with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy” (Col. 1:11 ESV). He gives us all power to endure anything and be patient with joy! This same power enabled Jesus to endure tremendous suffering…for you and me.
There’s not a plant or flower below
but makes your glories known;
and clouds arise and tempests blow,
by order from your throne.
Our powerful God is always helping His suffering children
In our weakness, as “sinners saved by grace” who inevitably endure sufferings of this fallen world, He’s also given
“the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places” (Eph. 1:19-20).
Through His Spirit’s constant presence in us, He’s strengthening us with HIS power (Deut. 33:25; Eph. 3:16), as we suffer! We may feel weak, but our powerful Father is working to make us strong right now, helping us to depend on Him and trust His power (2 Cor. 12:10). And this? It’s making His glories known! It’s glorifying God.
Oh Lord, please help us this week. In any suffering that this week might bring, help us remember Your immeasurable and great power as we pray for “the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 4:11 ESV).
While all that borrows life from you
is ever in your care,
and everywhere that man can be,
you, God, are present there.
Material adapted from Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character in Our Suffering, Lauri A. Hogle. Copyright © 2022, Singing Christ’s Hope.
A playlist to sing to our powerful God!
Let’s sing to our powerful God today. Let’s sing to our suffering hearts so that we remember His power.
I’ve made a YouTube playlist with lyrics for those forgetful days. This week’s playlist praises God for His power and might. On my days of pain and loss, Scriptural songs have helped my heart remember truths of His Word. It’s like the artists and lyrics are singing alongside me. And then, they help me re-turn to praise and trust and hope in our powerful and living God! If you’d like to join me in this journey as we suffer, sign up here and I’ll email the playlist for you to have and sing as well. May it be our powerful God’s gift to you this week, sister in Christ.
