We live in a culture that praises willpower. From diet plans to self-help books, the message is often the same: “If you just try hard enough, you can fix it.” And for a while, it works. Like Pastor Barry shared with his peanut butter and fudge bar story, we can do really well for a season—but then life gets busy, stress rises, and our willpower runs dry.
That’s when we discover an important truth: willpower has limits, but God’s power does not. 💡
Paul reminded his hearers in Acts 13 that Jesus offers forgiveness and freedom in a way the Law never could. The Law showed what was right but gave no strength to live it out. Our human efforts are the same—they may hold us steady for a short while, but eventually, we stumble. Jesus, through His cross and resurrection, gave us something infinitely greater: His Spirit living within us.
David’s story echoes the same truth. He was called a man after God’s heart, yet he was far from perfect. His failures were real, even devastating. But what set him apart was not flawless willpower—it was a repentant heart that ran back to God. His example tells us that God is not looking for perfect people, but for surrendered ones.
So what do we do when our willpower runs out? We lean in. We lean into prayer, because prayer keeps us close to the heart of God. We lean into Scripture, because the Word is living and breathing, strengthening us from the inside out. We lean into worship and fellowship, because God’s presence and God’s people fuel our faith when we are weak.
The Christian life isn’t about trying harder. It’s about surrendering deeper. When we draw near to the Spirit, we find strength to resist temptation, courage to endure hardship, and joy that rises even in the middle of difficulty.
And when we fail—and we all do—we don’t quit. We repent like David, trust in the blood of Jesus, and rise again in grace. Because His mercies are new every morning, and His Spirit is always enough.
👉 Willpower will fail, but the Spirit never does. Let’s be a people who don’t settle for self-effort but live daily in the presence and power of God.