Increased spiritual strength is a gift from God which He can

Henry B. Eyring’s words, “Increased spiritual strength is a gift from God which He can give when we push in His service to our limits. Through the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, our natures can be changed. Then our power to carry burdens can be increased more than enough to compensate for the increased service we will be asked to give,” rise like a psalm of endurance and divine reliance. He teaches that human effort, when consecrated to God, is magnified beyond mortal capacity. What seems impossible to the natural man becomes possible when touched by the sanctifying power of heaven.

The origin of this teaching rests in Christian faith, and more specifically, in the doctrine that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is not only for the remission of sins but also for the transformation of character. In Eyring’s vision, when we press forward in service until we reach our breaking point, it is then that heaven grants added strength. God does not ask His children to carry burdens unaided; He asks them to labor, and then He adds His might to theirs. In this sacred partnership, human weakness becomes the soil in which divine power takes root.

History reflects this truth vividly. Consider the life of Corrie ten Boom, who during the terror of World War II hid Jews from the Nazis and endured the horrors of a concentration camp. By her own admission, she often felt inadequate, fearful, and broken. Yet in those moments when her strength failed, she turned to Christ, and found the capacity to endure, forgive, and continue serving. Her life exemplifies Eyring’s words: when human strength meets its limit, divine grace extends beyond.

Even the great prophet Moses experienced this principle. Called to lead Israel out of bondage, he declared himself “slow of speech” and unfit for such a monumental task. Yet God did not remove the burden—He promised divine help, transforming Moses’ insufficiency into leadership that parted seas and carried a people to freedom. This is the essence of Eyring’s teaching: that God does not spare us from difficulty, but equips us with more than enough spiritual strength to bear it when we walk in His service.

Eyring’s words also reveal a pattern of growth. Every new burden placed upon us comes with a new portion of grace. The more we serve, the more capacity we gain; the more we endure, the stronger we become. This rhythm ensures that our service to others will never outpace the power God is willing to bestow. Thus, we need not fear the increasing demands of discipleship—for with each weight we shoulder, heaven enlarges our shoulders to bear it.

For those who hear this teaching, the lesson is profound: do not shrink from service because of feelings of insufficiency. Do not say, “I am too poor, too weak, too tired.” Instead, press forward with faith, and trust that divine power will meet you at the edge of your endurance. Ask for the Spirit, lean on the Atonement of Christ, and believe that your nature can be changed so that you can carry far more than you once thought possible.

The practical path is this: each day, give what you can in God’s service—be it kindness to a stranger, comfort to the afflicted, or faithfulness in your duties—and when you feel you have reached your end, pray for divine strength. Expect that new burdens will come, but also expect that greater power will accompany them. In this way, your life will be a living testimony that spiritual strength is not born of man alone, but of God’s infinite mercy.

Thus let this teaching be passed to future generations: when you serve to your limits, God will expand those limits. When you feel you cannot go further, His power will carry you beyond. Through Christ’s Atonement, your nature can be changed, and your capacity to bear and bless will exceed your imagination. This is the covenant of service—that in giving your all, you will never be left alone, but will be lifted, strengthened, and transformed.