Verse from Ephesians

“求他按着他荣耀的丰盛，借着他的灵，用大能使你们内在的人刚强起来，”

以弗所书 3:16 

“that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,”

Ephesians 3:16 

The apostle Paul explained a profound reason to let go of our own efforts to perfect ourselves: it can blind us to our need for Christ.

Paul had learned this the hard way. After years striving to perfectly obey God’s law, encountering Jesus changed everything (Galatians 1:11–16). Paul realized that if his own efforts were enough to be whole and right with God, “then there was no need for Christ to die” (2:21 nlt). Only by letting go of—dying to—self-reliance, could he experience Jesus living in him (v. 20). Only in his imperfection could he experience God’s perfect power.

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t resist sin (v. 17); but it does mean we should stop relying on our own strength to grow spiritually (v. 20).

In this lifetime, we will always be works in progress. But as our hearts humbly accept our constant need for the only perfect One, Jesus makes His home there (Ephesians 3:17). Rooted in Him, we are free to grow ever deeper in the love “too great” to ever “understand fully” (v. 19 nlt).

Lord, 

so often we exchange the joy and freedom of life with You for the burden of relying on ourselves. 

Help us to humbly rely on You instead.