Your Spiritual Plank

by: Carole L. Haines

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, (Ephesians 3:14-16 ESV)

I have been having to deal with a difficult, moody person on a regular basis lately.  I have been praying about how to love them while keeping myself distant enough to not keep getting hurt by them. As I have been reflecting on and praying through this; God revealed to me that this was being allowed to strengthen me in the weakness I struggle with of people-pleasing. He gave me the picture of the way a person seeking to get into good physical shape wants to strengthen their core, that all important middle part of our bodies. An exercise known as ‘planks’ is one of the best ways to accomplish this desire for a strong core. ( I included a pic of the CORE PLANK EXERCISE above, just in case you don’t know what they look like.)
God encouraged me that in dealing with this difficult person, He is strengthening my Spiritual Core, my innermost being, like a Spiritual Plank. God brought this amazing Scripture to my mind as He opened my heart up. It can be prayed over others and yourself as one of the most powerful prayers in Scripture.

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, ¹⁶ that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. ²⁰ Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21 ESV)

Endurance through difficult times is one of God’s most useful tools in our spiritual growth. I keep telling myself how much stronger I am getting as I seek to pour out love and kindness on this person who doesn’t seem to want it. It’s what Jesus would do, so I pray for God to change me through this and make me more like Jesus.
So, what is God allowing in your life that feels like your Spiritual Plank? What is that thing that is difficult and painful, strengthening you in your Inner Spiritual Core? I am going to start thanking God for this difficult person and rejoice in how God is strengthening me in my innermost being through this process. It’s been a tough 6 months, lots of loss, confusion and pain. But I am trusting God to strengthen me in my inner self through this time. Seek Him about what He is using to strengthen you in your Inner Core, through the Spiritual Plank you are having to endure right now. May you be blessed as You seek to grow deeper in Him, more and more and more.