Power, Patience, and Praise

Colossians 1:9-14

I am a worrier. I worry about all sorts of things: silly things, serious things, things that I can do something about, things I can do absolutely nothing about. And all of this worry can leave me feeling drained. So I found a part of the Colossians reading today to be very interesting. “May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power,” it says, “and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father…” (Colossians 1:11-12a). That’s what I want. I want the strength that comes from God’s power, I want the patience with which to endure, and I want to remember to joyfully praise God each and every day. In short, I want to quit worrying and to start living with power, patience, and praise.

I think the key lies in first accepting that God is at work in our lives whether we feel it or not, and in ways that we cannot fully comprehend. God’s love embraces us always, and God’s grace sustains us constantly. Realizing this to be true is a source of strength and confidence which empowers us to live as God’s people. Acceptance is not always easy, but it is worth the effort because the empowerment allows us to let go of doubts and fears, of our fretfulness and worry, so that we can praise God with more energy.

Martin Luther began each day reminding himself that he was baptized. In the same way I like to begin my morning by quoting Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” There really is power in the realization of God’s presence, in the acknowledgment of God’s amazing grace. That power in turn does lead to more patience, or at least a better attitude about things. And before you know it I am thanking and praising God for all the blessings I have received. I still worry; call me a work in progress, someone who is striving for a better path but has yet to get all the way there. My striving is based on God’s power, though, which does give me more patience, which in turn helps me to praise God. So the process continues. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: May we all receive the strength that comes from God’s glorious power, and may we be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father. In Jesus’ name. Amen.