Strong On The Inside | Qualities of Women Who Trust Jesus
“…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being…” - Ephesians 3:16
After a double mastectomy in October 2018, my chest muscles were mush. The weeks following the surgery were surreal as simple movements, like brushing my teeth and changing clothes, took every ounce of strength I could muster. Strangely, one of the mundane tasks that left me feeling completely weak and useless was wiping my kitchen counters— something I used to do without a second thought was now impossible. My muscles were broken down and didn’t have the strength to do it.
How often do we go through our day beating ourselves up for not being able to do something? We put pressure on ourselves to put into action what we know we should do, even though our spiritual muscles are mush, broken down and unable to complete the task on our own.
Like when we know we shouldn’t take offense at the words of a friend, but our feelings are hurt and we can’t seem to forgive.
Or when we know our bodies have limits, but we can’t seem to have patience with ourselves when we’re tired or out of energy.
Or when we know the Bible says to rejoice in every situation, but we can’t seem to scrounge up a single ounce of joy in our hearts.
Frustration turns to anger, and guilt turns to shame when we live with a constant, underlying sense that we’re not measuring up.
Well, guess what? We don’t measure up! I don’t know who needs to be reminded of this today, but, Sister, you will never be the flawless, perfectly polished version of yourself that you keep measuring your actual self against. (You might wanna read that again.)
That’s the bad news— the reality that we all come up short. But it makes the good news all the more amazing: Jesus fills in the rest! We are made right in the eyes of God because of the sacrifice of Jesus on our behalf. It’s a free gift that sets us free from trying, in vain, to measure up; he already did it for us (Romans 3:23-36).
The good news doesn’t stop there, though. Those spiritual muscles that are broken down and weak, the muscles of contentment, gratitude, joy, forgiveness, patience (and so many more!) are strengthened within us by the power of God’s Spirit. He makes us strong on the inside.
Jesus sent his Spirit to be with us, within us, and to strengthen us to do his will. The very same Spirit that was inside of Jesus when he rejected temptation (Matthew 4), gave thanks for the bread then multiplied it (Matthew 14), spoke peace over the storm (Mark 4), endured unparalleled pain (Luke 22, Hebrews 12), and conquered sin and death (Hebrews 2)— that same Spirit is inside us today, strengthening us with power in our inner beings to do what he’s called us to do. Sisters, in him, we are strong!
For Your Journal
Find It:
In this portion of your journal, write out a Bible verse. You can find a verse that fits a current life situation or use the one we used in today’s devotion.
“…that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being…” - Ephesians 3:16
Fix It:
In this portion of your journal, pull out 2-5 key words from the verse you chose above, or summarize the verse in your own words. Write it in pretty lettering or sketch something that will help you visualize the meaning of the verse and fix it in your mind. Repeat these words to yourself throughout the week to remind you of the truth contained in the scripture. Here are some options:
I am being strengthened
Strengthened with power
God’s Spirit makes me strong on the inside
Feel It:
In this portion of your journal, write out a prayer. The goal is to absorb the meaning of the Bible passage and let it take root in your heart. Ask the Lord to let his word change you by the power of his Spirit. Surrender any areas of your life that you are trying to control.
Lord, to be honest, sometimes I feel incapable of doing what I know is right. I feel like I don’t measure up, and then I get down on myself. Help me to remember that your Spirit is within me, strengthening me on the inside to live according to your word. Make me strong so I can live well and impact the world around me. May I learn to let go of pride, acknowledging that my strength comes not from myself but from the power of your Spirit in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.