Lucy and I were praying for a dear friend one night in August. I had led the prayer the night before so, on that particular evening – all tucked in bed, Lucy led us. Hands clasped, eyes open.
As she sweetly tumbled through her prayer, hitting strides of addressing this friend’s pain, she firmly requested, “…and God, please, just send her all of her might.”
This stuck with me.
“Send her all of her might.”
When I think of “might”, strength – power – brute force, I typically associate it with a universal power source. As in, “God, send me strength”.
As such, I think of it as strength from outside of me, strength that is not my own, strength not readily available to me.
Strength I need.
So, when Lucy revolutionized my understanding of might, it was because she was asking God to make it so that our friend had all of her might. As if she has a bank of might available to her that she can access.
It made me think, “What if I, through relationship with the supernatural, through my awareness with the physical body and its ability to be stunningly miraculous, can access reserves of my own might as divinely given to me from birth?”
At first this seemed to be a cute idea but not really practical or not really as elegant of a model for how we may consider petitioning for strength. I thought of how the model looks in real life. For example, I know I often request the gifts of other people that, in some way or another, I have within myself.
I do not do this in a lazy way or from an insecure place, however. I see that a friend is obviously artistic or a friend is obviously wise and so I solicit their technique and advice. But do I know that I equally can attempt the art? Search the heart? Yes. I do.
(Especially with the right Sharpie style marker.)
Though I firmly believe there is power in believing in a strength bigger than what resides within us, what if we first requested all of our own strength, our birthright might, be present and accounted for before we ask specifically for the divine’s?
And – before anybody cringes at the idea of doing something on our own and “what about Jesus” or whatever – just hang tight for a moment and realize that in doing such a thing, we actually are asking for the God’s strength *with specific awareness* that our strength and our help comes from the Lord to begin with? (Psalm 121:2)
What if in requesting all of our strength be present, we started to understand that our intricate design as individuals has a power source into the great connected universe? Charged by God’s right hand?
What if, in prayer, we began to understand internal cruxes that block and cross our wires? So that we can untangle and calm the mind stuff?
What if, in pursuit of our might being full, we learn things about ourselves that have been preventing us from operating on a full tank of strength?
What if we can come into a next iteration of our life by understanding the personal strength that lies in our own emotional fortitude, in our physical temple?
I mean, really. I believe we need to be careful to not praying for God’s strength over and over and over while remaining unaware of the personally designed, tailor made strength and skill set we were given to not only survive, but to make a difference in this life… to step into our purpose out of our pain.
<Deep breath.>
I believe the look of “boldly approaching the throne” when life is at its hardest changes when we do our part to cultivate the might and open-heartedness available to harness in this physical life. Lock that root in and draw that energy up.
There will be times we need increased strength for our weary bones and power to our spirits. (“Even the youth grow weary” Isaiah 40:30)
When we take a personal step to align with the divine strength in the body and energy body to begin with, and – from that place, petition the divine to reinforce, supplement and support, I believe we can come into a new level of hope, soaring on wings like eagles, running and not growing tired, and walking and not being faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
So much love. erin
