When I read today's passage in Colossians about strength and power, I don't think about super heroes who save the world or politicians who think they can. I don't think about body builders or fancy suits on Wall Street.

I think about my close family members who have faced serious illnesses. I think about friends who have followed God's dream for them, leaving behind what's familiar and moving across the world. I think about some homeless mothers I used to work with who were striving to rise above their circumstances. I think about some kids in my youth group who dealt positively with bullying.

This is the kind of strength the writer of Colossians is talking about - strength that comes from God. Colossians doesn't say that this strength allows us to defeat bad guys or to escape trouble. Rather, it is the ability to endure challenges with patience, even with joy and thanksgiving. That is super-human! It's the Spirit of God that gives us the power to endure and the power to praise.

by Meredith Shaw from d365.org