2 Corinthians 10 (#2): Relinquishing Power

Verse 3:

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.

Verse 4:

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments.

◇ There is a phrase I often hear, "Relinquish your power." It suggests to act as your thoughts, heart, and hands guide you. It's about not pretending to know what you don't know, beyond the knowledge you have. It's about not forcing plans to do better, not striving for significant achievements to attract attention, and not trying to show off. I understood it as a call to remove the underlying desire to impress others.

Paul said, "Though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh, but fight with the power of God." Could this not mean, "I relinquish all my power and entrust myself to God in battle"? Pretending to know what I don't know to do better, forcing plans to achieve greater results, and sometimes turning a blind eye to God's will to receive people's praise.

What Paul means by fighting in the flesh but not according to the flesh sounds like laying down all desires and entrusting them to God. "Relinquish your power!" It sounds like a call to lay down the desire to do better, to attract more attention, to receive praise, and entrust it to God.

I remember what my swimming instructor used to say. If you want to float in the water, you need to relax your body. The more you struggle to float, the more you sink. But when you trust the water and relax, your body floats miraculously. Only your eyes and nose slightly above the water! The moment you feel anxious and struggle, you sink. By relinquishing the power of desire and entrusting it to God, we can live freely on the water of the world, not sinking. Not by my ability, but by the power of God!

♧ Lord, help me to relinquish the power of desire and entrust myself to you! Help me to live by the power of God, not by my ability! Holy Spirit, lead me in truth!