In our world, power is fleeting. Especially in our technology-driven world, power is always in immanent danger of failing. We need a whole host of charging and recharging mechanisms in order to remain fully functional. (What did we ever do before cell phones, laptops and tablets were invented?!) And then we have to summon the memory power to make sure we actually plug into those mechanisms before power failure occurs.
If you’re anything like me, waiting for my batteries to recharge is usually an interruption rather than a preventive measure. I haven’t planned my recharging moments well, and so they often come at the worst possible times. Waiting for the power I need in order to be able to do what must be done is maddening, at the very least. Fortunately, fast charging devices have been created, and my waiting time has been shortened to a manageable stint! Still, there is the constant reminder that we do not live in a constant flow of limitless power. We are finite, and so are our tools. All of life requires time to pause and regain its fullest potential.
Yesterday, my Pastor talked about the power source we have been given: the Holy Spirit. Because He lives within us (if Jesus is the One we worship), we never have to worry about losing power. He is always there, and always on. Whatever life demands of us, and whatever God would call us to each day, we have the guaranteed power to do it. This is the one power source that will never fail. Sadly, this is a truth which I think many have not yet fully explored. The good news, however, is that we are all invited to!
There is another truth which I believe many have also not fully understood: waiting = recharging. While the power of the Holy Spirit will never fail or falter, or even diminish, our connection to Him is subject to interruptions. Life has a way of distracting us from the power source of His abiding presence within us. The enemy has a way, through life’s circumstances, of convincing us that the power we have in the Holy Spirit is subject to failure, or that we can be disqualified from receiving it. The world we live in, with all of its power modules, has a way of convincing our finite minds that power is also finite. We begin to think in the terms that we see, often without even realizing it.
The power of the Holy Spirit is eternal. It is unchanging and, in truth, able to do far more than many of us have dared to believe. The question we must ask, then, is why don’t we believe? What keeps us from realizing, and from living in the constant flow of His power, from tapping into the wealth of strength that we possess? I believe the answer is: because we hate to wait.
God has purposefully built times of waiting into our lives. Those times are intended to reconnect and recharge us, to hook us back up to the power source that never fails. He knew we would have busy lives, full of responsibilities. Many of the responsibilities we have are there by His design (hopefully). Motherhood and family are demanding. Work is consuming. Traffic and grocery store lines are devouring. Pursuing dreams is exhausting, even while it’s exhilarating. Helping others often requires the little time and energy we have left, if it doesn’t borrow from tomorrow’s portion. Yet, when God envisioned and orchestrated our lives this way, I don’t believe He intended for the work He gave to outsource the power He gave.
This is why He instituted the Sabbath, not as a suggestion, but as a requirement. I don’t subscribe to the notion that it must be on a certain day to be valid. God’s heart was to build rest into our lives, not to control all of our moments. The gift of life came with the required gift of time to recharge and reconnect (kind of like batteries are to a cell phone or a toy…they can’t keep functioning without recharging). He built into our lives the necessity of taking time to catch our breath, and look around a little bit at all that’s been done, in order to foster gratitude and remember that we could never do it without Him.
This is why we are taught to reserve a daily time of being still in His presence, refreshing our souls with His Word, and entering into conversation with Him. Those are our outlets, our reconnect and recharge stations. They prepare us for the day’s work, and provide all we need in order to accomplish that work.
I love the promise of Isaiah 40:31, which says: “…those that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”
I have reached the end of many days feeling faint and weary. Most of those days, in truth, I have tried to do most, if not everything, in my own strength. There is a marked difference in the days when I have plugged into the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, and done what needed to be done in His strength. Though my body might ache or feel the weight of the day’s toil, I feel energized and alive in my spirit, and look forward to accomplishing even more.
The beautiful thing is that this power, and the recharging station, is always available to us, all of us. You don’t have to have it all together. You don’t have to be a Pastor. You don’t have to know a certain number of Bible memory verses in order to qualify. All you have to do is believe that this is the gift the Father promised to all who believe in Jesus. It came with the package of your faith. In fact, it is the power source that keeps your faith going! It is, and was always meant to be, the source of your ability to do what God has created you to do (not just the big things in life, but the little things as well). That’s why John 15:15 tells us that He is the vine, and we are the branches, making it clear that our lives can produce nothing of any value apart from Him.
Dear Woman of Breakthrough, do you realize how easy and how convenient God has made your recharge? You don’t have to pull over or find a signal somewhere in order to plug into your power source. All you have to do is turn your heart’s attention inward, and begin to talk to Him. Then be still and listen as He instructs you, as He loves you, as He guides you and fills you with His strength. He gives freely, because Jesus already paid the price for your gift of power and strength.
There are both quick and not so quick periods of recharging, and God will make it clear to you which is required for the moments you face in life. Whether you are sitting still for a few minutes, or positioning your soul to be still for the long haul, the promise remains the same: sustained power, and the ability to live the life He has called you to, no matter the circumstances and challenges you face. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we never had to experience another power failure again? It is possible, my dear sisters. May we seek the source of the power we need today, before the battery indicator starts blinking red! And may we discover the richest gift imaginable in His constant, amazing presence!
She Dances Over Graves 