The Dependence That Leads to Strength
We all enter the world completely dependent on someone else. As newborns, we depend on our mothers (or whoever is caring for us) for everything.
As we grow up, our goal becomes independence. We learn to stand on our own two feet, make our own decisions, and take responsibility for our lives.
Then, as adults, we discover that we accomplish far more through interdependence. Healthy relationships, teamwork, and shared strengths enable us to do things we could never do alone.
But here's something we don't hear very often:
To become spiritually whole and healthy, we actually need all three.
We need to take responsibility for our own lives. We need meaningful relationships with others. And, most importantly, we need to remain deeply dependent on God.
That raises an important question: Why is dependence on God so necessary? Couldn't we simply learn what He wants us to do and then go do it?
Jesus answered that question very clearly:
"Apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
With...
Strengthen what remains.
Have you ever had one of those moments where you wondered, “Why am I not getting this?”
You’re trying. You’re praying. You may even be serving others faithfully. But nothing seems to move. Nothing changes. And quietly, underneath it all, frustration begins to grow.
The disciples had a day like that.
A desperate father brought his suffering son to them—a boy tormented by seizures and deeply oppressed spiritually. The disciples tried to help, but nothing happened. They could not drive the demon out. (Matthew 17:14–20)
Then Jesus stepped into the situation, and His response feels surprisingly strong:
“You unbelieving and perverse generation, how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you?”
Those words carry weight. Jesus wasn’t just addressing the crowd. He was confronting a deeper issue—spiritual dullness, dependence on self, and a lack of real faith.
The disciples had likely seen miracles before. They had watched Jesus heal, deliver, and re
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