Depend on GOD

My prayer for you is not that God will grant you strength, but that you will find the Lord Jesus TO BE YOUR STRENGTH. There is a huge difference! One implies the view of God as something of a Cosmic Benefactor akin to Santa Claus, dispensing helpful gifts on demand (not to say God doesn’t often accommodate; He is supremely gracious!). The other requires an INTIMATE RELATIONSHIP, involving trust, confidence, deepest dependence. One may put God aside until His services are required. The other assumes a KNOWLEDGE and care born only from logging time together. One focuses on certain desirable qualities and traits, such as patience, joy, strength. The other focuses ON A WHOLE PERSON, WHO IS THE EXCLUSIVE SOURCE AND LIVING EMBODIMENT OF THESE QUALITIES, AND WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY LIFE (Colossians 3:3-4; Galatians 2:20). (From a message written to a friend who is a new believer going through the most severe trials)