I found myself praying for power recently.

Not for grandiose reasons.

Rather I just like to feel able and ready.

I was dozing asleep, and God put some twilight thoughts in my mind. That’s how I believe it to be.

The thoughts were to the narrative: “Why are you asking me for power? You have all of the power you will ever need. I don’t give power for its own sake. There is always power given by me for whatever measure of grace you need in your life at the moment, my son. What would that power be for? So you can rise and say ‘“I have become as God”’? You know who took that approach and fell as a thunderbolt from my presence.”

Whoa….

Touche.

It’s true. I could have all of the abilities in the world, but shall I also have the wisdom to apply them all well?

Not with this human head on my shoulders.

Sure, I have a good one, but by no means is it all-seeing and complete.

So it is better to listen to the one the power comes from anyway.

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach; and it will be given to him.”

James 1:5, WEB

What it took me a long time to understand is in life if we seek wisdom and understanding – more often than not – the power to make a difference (at least in our own lives) follows forth from that place.

When power is preceded by a sense of devout honor, it is far less likely to be abused.

When power is remembered to be given in trust by a person, it is more likely to be used for good.

Why?

Because there is a human remembered.

We will remember the limits of our own frame — and be more likely to use just the amount necessary to accomplish a goal.

Alas… this isn’t always the case.

Almost anyone would know the names of history’s most evil.

The only face they were concerned about was their own.

Amazing how shallow it is.

Just like the skin on their face.

And age certainly didn’t help them.

What were the benefits of seeking to be more than they already intrinsically were?

“By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time; accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward.”

Hebrews 11:24-26, WEB

Temporal at best.

The riches they had belonged to others. The evils they told others to commit were from their own twisted hearts.

It’s sick to use empathy with others to try to wring out a sense of your own sympathy and humanity.

Join the table of gladness and fellowship with the sincere.

Forsake the way of extortion and lies.

For as thirst returns to the breathing… you will always need more of such impure water to “satisfy” your thirst.

It is a bitter goblet of grog. Filled with silt and toxins no man or creature should partake of.

Yet…

It does the job for the coward who doesn’t want to be open and sincere… poorly.

It serves as a shallow reminder of what they could have… should they open their hearts and allow them to be accessible.

“I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”

Ezekiel 36:26, ESV

So usually, they stay away.

I can understand.

I used to think such emotions and pursuits in others were normal.

I never went to the level that some have with allowing inner darkness to consume my humanity, but I know the power of its anger and hunger.

It really comes down to this – selfish darkness is the human emotions without the Spirit of Love.

Think about this tentatively.

IF…

“Love is patient and is kind; love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7, WEB

AND…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23, WEB

What then are the opposites of these things if the traits are stripped of healthy selflessness?

“Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these…”

Galatians 5:19-21, WEB

Do you see a pattern here?

What is the common ingredient?

Openness and vulnerability.

The Holy Kind.

The fruits of the Spirit (real love you can say) has the temperance it has because it comes from a heart that accepts itself (flaws and all), others, and has the willingness to grow and always aim for better.

The other kind of “love” has its nature because the one who carries it cannot bear to share the light they received from the one on high with sincerity.

One is purely selfish and aberrant.

The pure one is open and mutually interested in itself and others.  

Love is the truest power of God.

It is also the truest power we can have too.

IF…

We let him, others, and even our own selves love us – provided we share ourselves sincerely.

Just as Christ did on this holy week, as he has for all eternity.

SO…

What power shall you seek?

I’ll let you answer that.

Peace.