Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit

One of the more difficult questions for me to answer has been to know what is my part and what is God’s part in life. I am fond of saying that God will not do for us what we can do for ourselves, but He is more than willing to make up for what we cannot do. As a young man I went through a stage where I thought I could accomplish anything by sheer will power. I remember someone saying to me “Phil, you can’t get well by will power alone,” and me responding “Who can’t?” Well me!

Take relationships for example. The scripture says “If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18). So what is my part, and how far do I have to go past the second mile? I had to learn the hard way that in a relationship, I cannot make up for what the other person cannot, or will not do. So I need to ask the Lord what for me is the second mile in this or that situation, and then rely on the principle from this morning’s verse from Zechariah 4:6, namely that He will do His part in softening hearts and in bringing resolution. And my part is not to strive but to be patient, gentle and apt to teach (2 Timothy 2:24). I can’t say I have always done this well, but I am learning!

This not striving bit, is much more than for relationships. And for me learning not to strive has had a lot to do with spending lots of time with Him, learning His heart and drawing close in intimacy. I like what Heidi Baker says to the effect that she can accomplish more in one hour after spending time with Him, than in eighteen years of striving. In particular we need to learn to operate out of rest. Many of us had to burn out before we came to this. I did, and then there was a period of forced rest as in “He made me lie down in green pastures, etc.” (Psalm 23).

Father, thank You for teaching me that if You are not in it, all the effort in the world is not going to amount to anything more than a hill of beans. But this verse is not about leaving it all up to You, it is about cooperation. It is about moving when Your Spirit says move, and waiting when Your Spirit says wait, and to wait even when I have waited what is for me a very long time. But truly this morning Lord, I know that it is not by might, not by power, but by Your Spirit, by whom I seek to walk day by day. In Your precious Name I pray Amen