Strength Like a Spark
By Pastor Jerry A. Burns
There’s a kind of “strength” that looks impressive at first, but it doesn’t last. I’ve tried it. When I get tired of waiting, I’m tempted to kindle my own fire—to make my own plan, force my own solution, and set my own timeline. But that kind of self-made guidance is like trying to walk through life with nothing more than a spark. For a moment it feels like progress, but it isn’t enough light to lead you safely.
I can’t imagine walking a dark path with only a spark in my hand. Sooner or later I’d miss the edge, step into a ditch, or smash into a tree—because a spark can flicker, fade, and fail. And that’s exactly what happens when I rely on my own strength and wisdom instead of waiting on the Lord.
Isaiah warns us about that. Our strength, our wisdom, our self-made sparks—they can’t carry the soul. Proverbs says it plainly: “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” I’ve learned that my strength is small. I’ve learned I can’t be a good Christian in my ability. I’ve learned I can’t be a good dad or a good husband in my strength. That realization isn’t discouraging—it’s clarifying.
Waiting is the opposite of kindling my own fire. Waiting is looking to God instead of rushing ahead. It’s hopeful trust and expectant dependence. It’s admitting I need God’s help and believing He can provide what others cannot. When I stop trying to lead myself with sparks, I begin to see that God’s way is safer, wiser, and stronger.
So when the wait is long and my patience is thin, I remind myself: the Lord is not weary. His understanding is beyond searching out. He gives power to the faint. And those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.
Identify where you’ve been “kindling your own fire” (forcing an outcome). Lay that down in prayer today and choose one concrete act of waiting—pause, seek God, and refuse a rushed decision.
"And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen." — Psalm 72:19
Daily Scripture Reading
Join us as we read through the Bible in one year, growing together in God’s Word day by day. Click on any underlined verse to access Pastor Burns’ helpful study notes and deeper insights.
Look up a different passage
Search for any chapter or scripture above to begin.
This Week's Radio Program
Week Eighteen • May 3, 2026
Trusting God With Tomorrow (Pt. 3)
In this final part of the message, “Trusting God with Tomorrow,” we are brought face to face with a powerful truth from Scripture—while we often plan our days and assume the future, the Bible teaches us that life is fragile, uncertain, and completely in God’s hands. As James reminds us, our life is “even a vapour” that appears for a little time and then vanishes away . The issue is not planning, but planning without God—living as though we are in control of what only God knows.
This message walks through the heart of biblical trust: having a proper perspective of tomorrow, a humble posture before God today, and a surrendered plan that says, “If the Lord will.” Whether facing uncertainty, fear, or the illusion of control, we are called to draw near to God, rest in His care, and trust that His will is good, even when tomorrow is unknown. Because Christ has risen, our future is secure—not in our plans, but in His perfect hands.
Listen to Past Programs
Recent Devotionals
Catch up on the last few days.