Why the Power of Willpower Falls Short

Photo by Andres Ayrton

In our society there are so many messages in the media that encourage the unmatched power of willpower. We are advised to white knuckle it, grit our teeth, buckle down and make it happen for ourselves. Daily we are bombarded with mantras that advise us that we can: harness the power within, and change our lives for the better with sheer determination. We are led to believe that a person needs nothing or no one else to transform his or her life other than good old me, myself and I.  

Although there is truth in the premise that for lasting change to happen and positive problem solving to take place, one must be fully committed, there is much more to examine here. 

In addition to needing family, friends and mentors in your corner to aid your success, I challenge you to invite God to join your problem-solving team as well, and perhaps even act as the captain if you are ready. 

In Philippians 4:13 it says: I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. I would like to break that down a bit to provide advice on why this enlightens us to understand why willpower alone often falls short. 

I Can Do All Things 

In this verse it says I can do ALL things. It doesn’t state I can do the following things and the following things alone... with God by my side. It says I can do ALL things. Drop. The. Mic. With God as our pilot even the most problematic path seems surprisingly manageable. 
 
I am a singer and I love to sing a song by Scott Wesley Brown that is entitled
​He Will Carry You. The song lyrics state:  
"There is no problem too big, 
God cannot solve it 
There is no mountain too tall 
He cannot move it 
There is no storm too dark 
God cannot calm it 
There is no sorrow too deep 
He cannot soothe it"

I don’t know about you, but I would say that certainly covers it all!  Never does it say independently I can do all these things, because the verse does not stop there. There's more! Let's move on.​

Through Christ Who Give Me Strength

We were never meant to walk alone. We were never meant to do life in our own strength. That will only carry us so far. Life is just plain hard, and we need something greater than ourselves to keep us moving forward, especially during tough times. God is our ever-present help in times of trouble. His mercies are new every morning and He is always ready to empower us with His presence, offer His strength and provide a shoulder to cry on as needed during our darkest days.

It is so exciting to grasp that you don't have to carry your burdens alone. Won't you consider allowing God to take the reins or if you already have Him on your team, allow Him to take a larger leadership role in your life? You won't regret it. Trust me. When it comes to problem solving, you and God are truly a match made in Heaven!  

Tuck that in your heart today! 

Prayer: Dear Heavenly father, Thank you for the reminder that we do not have to try to handle our situations on our own. You have promised us to give us the strength to get through and You are the best problem solving partner anyone could ask for. Help us never to forget this,

​In Jesus Name, 
Amen

Sending you a virtual hug,

​Dana 

Author

Dana Romualdi is a Canadian elementary teacher, author, social worker, blogger and speaker. She has a passion for helping others and spreading much-needed encouragement. She lives in Canada with her husband and two grown children. When she is not working in the classroom or blogging, she enjoys drinking coffee, watching Netflix and reading great books. 
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Tags: Why the power of willpower falls short, willpower, power will, will power, God and strength quotes, quotes about strength from God, God quotes for strength, God quotes on strength, quotes about strength from God, life skills, living skills

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