Colossians 1:11—The Purpose of His Power in Me

For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience…
—Colossians 1:9-11

Having completed Job, our Sunday school class is now studying Colossians. Most of today’s discussion centered on the passage above. I was especially blessed by our discussion of verse 11. Our teacher, Jim, pointed out that the purpose for which we have been “strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might” is for “the attaining of all steadfastness and patience.” The ESV and NIV use the word “endurance” rather than steadfastness. Two members of the class who had notes in their Bibles indicated that the original Greek word for steadfastness/endurance refers to endurance in dealing with people, and the original Greek word for patience refers to patience in difficult circumstances.

What the passage is saying is that the power we have through Christ in us is for the purpose of demonstrating steadfastness/endurance and patience. Jim suggested that it seems like the power of God in us should be used for something seemingly more significant than in demonstrating patience with people and circumstances; but immediately, I realized that these are precisely the areas where I have the greatest struggles.

Because of said struggles, I am tremendously encouraged by this verse and the implications for my life. Knowing that the power of Christ is in me specifically to enable me to be patient with people and to endure difficult circumstances should release me to let go and enable Him do what I clearly cannot.