Struggling? With whose energy?

Today in quiet time, Colossians 1:29: "To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me."

First, are you struggling? Before you answer, consider our friends in Belarus, or members of the persecuted church in China or the Middle East? We are SO comfortable here in the US, where 'struggle' means that our boss gave us an assignment we don't like, or the kids have too many activities going on. (cue tiny violin playing in background)

I too often enjoy the peace I'm promised being a disciple, but forget about the struggle.

Now, if we're struggling, or we now know that we SHOULD be struggling, whose energy are we relying on? Before you answer that, consider that His energy created the world, healed hundreds while on earth, established a church body of billions, has influenced hundreds of generations.

Think of the most energetic human you know, other than Christ. What have they done? Doesn't seem like a fair fight.

So, whose energy are YOU relying on? Did you sell that 1,000,000th gadget? Did you break 80? Did you make 8 3-pointers? Ho hum..

Did you lift up your wife today, not physically (though not bad), but spiritually? Did you build up your children with love and a foundation that will enable them to build others up now and when they grow up? Did you make room in your calendar for the person in the cube next door?

The downstream effects of these acts - acts of love - dwarf that gadget, that scorecard. But they often require strength that we struggle to muster.

...unless we are relying on Him.