It's our natural reaction to go to God for strength, but when that is our only prayer, we are missing out on experiencing the creativity of God's power and truly seeking him for our each and every need.

How many times have the words, "Lord, give me strength," left your lips? Think back. Maybe you were in the doctor's office, waiting to hear back from the bank about a loan, dealing with an ongoing issue at work, or you see that chatty Kathy at the grocery store (again) and simply do not have the time for a half-hour chat in the bread aisle. For me, I've been asking for strength as we move apartments this week: It's too hot to be moving boxes, y'all! Whatever the case may be, if you and God gee-haw, you've probably asked him for strength.
When we face difficulties, our immediate response is to dig around for the strength to get through it. We try to find the gusto to grit our teeth, take the hit, and power on to the next obstacle, which, to be fair, makes total sense. But what if strength isn't what we actually need? Let me give you an example. One prayer I've been praying lately is, "Lord, send me restoration to help me recover." Not strength—restoration. Let's use that chatty Kathy example. Instead of, "Lord, give me the strength to deal with this person," try "Lord, give me the patience and peace to deal with this person."
What if our immediate reaction was to identify the specific need first and then seek help? To not just assume we just need to be strong to get through something? (Remember when I thought I needed to be a cowboy to heal from cancer?) It's our natural reaction to go to God for strength, but when that is our only prayer, we are missing out on experiencing the creativity of God's power and truly seeking him for our each and every need. He is the all in all, y'all! He's not just the God of strength, but also healing, mindfulness, discipline, kindness, love, thoughtfulness, knowledge, focus, excitement, energy, restoration, refuge, trust, stability... you get the point.
Here's my challenge for myself this week (feel free to adopt!): Find power outside of strength. Specifically, I'm going to seek endurance, patience, and preparation this week... because I am not ready to move in 90-degree weather. Thoughts and prayers are appreciated.
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