God-Given Power

O Lord, mercifully receive the prayers of your people who call upon you, and grant that they may know and understand what things they ought to do, and also may have grace and power faithfully to accomplish them; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Proper 10 BCP 231)

We are not left to our own power. When we pray to God for guidance and we understand what we are called to do, we are not left to our own power to accomplish what God calls us to. God gives us the power to do what we have been called to do. God never leaves us hanging, knowing what to do without the power to do it. Sometimes we don't realize we have the power we need, but God will make it known at the right time. 

In all the conflicts we get ourselves into as people and as a nation, we always have a choice in how to react and how to proceed. When we blow our options by responding with malicious intent, we often escalate situations we could have turned around. God gives us the power we need in every situation to see others as beloved children of God. The first step? Breathing in the Holy Spirit. 

God is always right near us, in the Holy Spirit surrounding us. As soon as we let God into our hard moments, we have the God-given power to work grace, mercy, and love. When we continue on without God, we are unable to fully accomplish what we are called to do as followers of Jesus. In the hard moments, take a deep breath, letting in the Holy Spirit with the power you need for that moment.