“Emboldened by the Sustaining Source” – by Meghan Williams, Dyed4you Art
Philippians 4:13 (AMP) I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]
True self-confidence isn’t a matter of full reliance in our own strength and abilities. We find confidence when our identities are properly rooted in Christ. We become like trees that are planted by rivers of water. While we are called to stand, we are not expected to do so completely in own strength; we must draw from the Sustaining Source of all life. Seasons of heat force us to stretch our roots deep to find the Word and promises of God when they seem hardest to find. We are strengthened by God’s faithfulness and upheld by His flawless character.
Bold believers may not always feel brave when they look toward seemingly insurmountable odds. It may seem like the whole world is against them. It may seem like they are outgunned and outnumbered, so to speak. Weariness in their bones and hearts may tempt them to say, “I can’t do this!” But then, they remember. They look to heaven and remember Who is for them and with them.
Bold believers draw strength from what God has spoken and done for saints of the past, and they remember how God has been faithful to His personal promises to them. Instead of bowing in defeat, bold ones learn to dig deep and call upon God to be their “very present help” again and again. And God faithfully responds to their cries by empowering them through His Spirit. God is fully able to transform our “I can’t” into “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Psalm 46:1-3 (VOICE) God is our shelter and our strength. When troubles seem near, God is nearer, and He’s ready to help. So why run and hide? No fear, no pacing, no biting fingernails. When the earth spins out of control, we are sure and fearless. When mountains crumble and the waters run wild, we are sure and fearless. Even in heavy winds and huge waves, or as mountains shake, we are sure and fearless.
