This year, 2020, has accentuated the need for certain traits, some of which are strength, endurance, and patience. The virus and fear pandemic, the combative election, the media (in all shapes and forms), the anger in our streets, the slam on any kind of “patriotism,” and a host of other trials have made personal strength, everyday endurance, and patience needed qualities just to get through each day.
Paul, in his letter for the Colossian church prayed for those exact qualities. But first, Paul prayed that God would fill these beloved followers of Christ with the knowledge of God’s will, His wisdom and spiritual understanding. He said they would need those things to have a walk that was worthy of their LORD so they might please Him and bear fruit. Then he asked for that strength, endurance, and patience that is needed every day.
“May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy.” [Colossians 1:11 HCSB]
We might call strength, endurance, and patience “The Big Three!” We need that big three if we are going to not just survive the circumstances of life, but thrive in them. We cannot face the battles of life without them. We cannot love people as we should without them. We cannot walk daily through pain, grief, doubt, discouragement, or loss without them.
But, may I add, if we focus solely on gaining strength, practicing endurance, and finding patience, we may see that as drudgery. We may allow it to become a chore, a toil, a daily grind. So, Paul adds another little word to his prayer and exhortation – JOY!
Joy! is the atmosphere of our strength, our endurance, and our patience. It sets the parameters of our heart’s desires. Joy! intercedes when the daily struggles become overwhelming. Joy! intercepts the thoughts of discouragement. Joy! returns our motivations, our desires, our hearts back to the Presence of the LORD where Joy! itself resides.
So, yes, we need strength and power. We must have endurance and patience. But oh, the JOY! that is also ours.
