Two simple words but words that can keep us from a lot in our lives cant they?
Last night I got a crazy idea (which happens quite often with me) I thought, "I should go running."
Now I realize that word running evokes different reactions. Some of you got tired or almost threw up just thinking about it, some of you your heart started racing and you thought let's do this! Mine has changed over the years.
I used to LOVE running. I've never been one for treadmills,where's the fun of running in place? But put me outside and it was run forest run for me. My feet would hit the old country road pavement at my parents house growing up and I'd run and run until I couldn't take it anymore or it got dark. (country roads with no lights and the chance of getting run over by a lifted truck or a cow are not the way I wanted to go out)
But sadly my love for running has changed since I got sick several years ago. As an athlete all my life it's been one of the things that I've struggled with the most that's changed.
But you know what I've learned about the two words, I can't, is that more often than not we actually can, just not in the same way we may hope or like to.
It's something I've learned with my health. Something, honestly I've had a hard time coming to grips and admitting. I can't do things the way I used to.
I guess that's what chronic muscle pain and chronic fatigue do to a body. My immune system is so weak it makes Napoleon Dynamite look buff.. I never wanted to look at that as an excuse but I had to face that's just the reality of my circumstances at this season in my life. Just imagine trying to go running while your muscles are in a constant spasm and you have the flu.Yup, that's pretty much what it feels like.
Does that mean I should let that keep me from doing things because they aren't as easy or I can't do them the way I may want? No I don't think so.That's what I'm learning at least.To accept what is but not what can't be. I am so grateful for my life, because I always say "It could be worse." That's not a pity thing, it's a gratitude thing. At least I'm alive, at least I can walk, see, hear, taste....Things I took for granted before. My pain may keep me from a lot of things but it won't keep me from being grateful for the life I'm blessed with.
So knowing it might feel like getting hit repeatedly by a truck and I'd pay for it today, I went for a run last night. I knew it'd be challenging but I did what I could, as far as I could. And although it wasn't as much as I'd have liked and it was crazy painful and I felt like I was going to meet Jesus when I got back, I'm glad I did it.
I just wonder how often we miss out on experiencing the fullness of God because we look at what we think we can't do instead of what HE can do.
It's often easy to have faith and to be fearless when things seem to be going the way we want isn't it? To take chances, to be brave. But when something changes in our life, our circumstances are altered, we begin to lose hope, we start to feel limited. We began to lose ourselves and everything God can do through us in the process because our focus has changed from "I can do all things through Christ" to "I can do some things, maybe a few things." We start to believe the lies of the enemy and before we know it two words become our whole outlook "I can't."
I know things may not be going the way you would like in a certain area of your life, maybe it's finances you feel holding you back, maybe it's other people around you that are making you feel like you're not enough, maybe your own limitations are holding you down, maybe you feel your talent isn't being used the way it could be, maybe circumstances feel out of your control, maybe you feel like your too old or too young or not smart enough or pretty enough or educated enough.
But can I tell you something? The way we see ourselves and our situation is not how God sees it. His word says his thoughts and ways are higher than ours. Meaning He sees the Bigger picture, where we see limitations he sees opportunity for His power to be shown. In our weakness, He is strong. He knows where you're at, he put you there. He knows what He's doing. What you're going through will only hold you back as much as you let it.
So start today and do what you can with what you have and trust God for the more.
Look at David and Goliath. David was the smallest, the "wimpiest", the lowest in his family, he didn't have everything he may have wanted, in fact he had very little to offer but what he did have was the only thing he really needed...faith in a BIG God.
And he defeated a crazy giant that a whole army of strong, 'capable' soldiers were afraid to even face. They laughed at him but that didn't stop him. With a simple sling shot and a rock he faced the impossible and won. I love that story. It reminds me that it's not what we have but who is on our side that makes us mighty, makes us victorious.
God says when you're faithful with a little he'll trust you with a lot. Look at Noah, all he started with was a dream and a piece of wood and he built a giant ark that changed history. One day at a time...
The more you focus on your circumstances the bigger they become and the smaller you make God and our God is anything but small. He is bigger than any and every thing you are facing or feel limited by. The things you see as challenges he sees as opportunities to make you stronger,
You see, God will always make a way where there seems to be no way. To us it looks impossible but to him all things are possible. We just have to be willing to surrender to him."God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine. He does everything by his power that is working in us."Ephesians 3:20
So you might not be able to do things the way you want (right now) but you can still do SOMEthing, right?And when you start to do SOMEthing is when God can do EVERYthing.So do it, even if it's hard, even if no one notices or appreciates it, even if it seems like it's not making a difference, IT IS.
You can defeat your giant, if you choose to pick up the rock.
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