What Used to Level You
A quiet measure of how far you've come

Paul Durbin • Lead Pastor
May 26, 2026

2 Minute Read

The thing that wrecked you three years ago might not have the same power over you today.

That's not because life got easier. It's because you got stronger. Paul prays in Colossians 1 that we'd be "strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience." Notice he doesn't pray that the hard stuff would stop. He prays that we'd be the kind of people who can carry it differently when it comes.

That's spiritual maturity. Not a life without setbacks, but a soul that's been quietly reinforced by the Spirit over time. The disappointment that used to take you weeks to recover from now takes days. The criticism that used to ruin your week now rolls off a little quicker. The setback that once made you want to quit—you're still standing.

If you're in a hard season right now, don't miss this: God isn't wasting it. He's building something in you. Strength, power, and endurance aren't gifts He drops from the sky—they're grown in the middle of stuff that hurts. And one day, you'll look back and realize what used to level you doesn't anymore. That's grace doing its quiet work.

Keep going. You're stronger than you were.

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May 26, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
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May 26, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
What Used to Level You
The thing that wrecked you three years ago might not have the same power over you today. That's not because life got easier. It's because you got stronger. Paul prays in Colossians 1 that we'd be "strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience." Notice he doesn't pray that the hard stuff would stop. He prays that we'd be the kind of people who can carry it differently when it comes. That's spiritual maturity. Not a life without setbacks, but a soul that's been quietly reinforced by the Spirit over time. The disappointment that used to take you weeks to recover from now takes days. The criticism that used to ruin your week now rolls off a little quicker. The setback that once made you want to quit—you're still standing. If you're in a hard season right now, don't miss this: God isn't wasting it. He's building something in you. Strength, power, and endurance aren't gifts He drops from the sky—they're grown in the middle of stuff that hurts. And one day, you'll look back and realize what used to level you doesn't anymore. That's grace doing its quiet work. Keep going. You're stronger than you were.

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