Reason #31
He's at it again! That brother of mine has challenged me with another good quote. "It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not."
Have you ever really wanted to do something but you've been too scared? Maybe you felt insecure or incapable. Maybe you felt unqualified. Maybe you felt like you needed more experience, or maybe you felt like you just didn't have what it took. I've wondered a lot about what I'm supposed to do with my life. I've had big dreams, but I've often talked myself down from them because I think someone else would be better qualified.
There have been times in my life that I wished to be something but it just seemed impossible. For example, I want to be a runner. I wish that I could just take off and run effortlessly for miles. There have been a few times in my life that I have gotten really motivated to start running and I think, "Okay, I'm going to do it this time! I'm not going to give up so quickly." Well about 2 minutes into the run my stomach hurts, everything below my waist is moving in a different direction, I can barely breathe, and I feel like my heart is going to give out at any second. I stop and I think to myself, "Don't worry about it. Some people are born to be runners. You're not one of those people." So, I hold myself back because I'm pretty sure that you need some kind of special gene to run and I don't have it. I don't think I'm a runner.
As I thought about this quote today, I realized how much I hold myself back not only from potentially achieving dreams I have for myself, but also how much I hold myself back from experiencing abundant life in Jesus Christ. I tell myself what I think I am or am not, and because of that I squelch what he's trying to do with me. I hold back from experiencing the blessings that he has in store because I think, "I don't think I'm brave enough to do what you've asked... I don't think I'm strong enough to walk this path... I really think you could find someone who could do a much better job at this than I can... I don't think I am qualified enough to do what you've called me to do... I don't think I can do this..." Well, the good news is, I don't have to rely on myself to do what he asks. I'm not brave enough, strong enough, or qualified enough to do much of anything on my own and I'll never be. I am, however, a child of God and because of that, I am a conqueror (Romans 8). Also, he tells me in Hebrews 13:21 that he will "equip [me] with everything good for doing his will, and [will] work in [me] what is pleasing to him."
I want to stop holding back because of who I think I'm not. I want to stop limiting what God can and wants to do in my life. I want him to show me who I am in his eyes so that I can really see what I am capable of.
#31 - Because with him, I don't have to hold back but am more than capable!
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Have you ever really wanted to do something but you've been too scared? Maybe you felt insecure or incapable. Maybe you felt unqualified. Maybe you felt like you needed more experience, or maybe you felt like you just didn't have what it took. I've wondered a lot about what I'm supposed to do with my life. I've had big dreams, but I've often talked myself down from them because I think someone else would be better qualified.
There have been times in my life that I wished to be something but it just seemed impossible. For example, I want to be a runner. I wish that I could just take off and run effortlessly for miles. There have been a few times in my life that I have gotten really motivated to start running and I think, "Okay, I'm going to do it this time! I'm not going to give up so quickly." Well about 2 minutes into the run my stomach hurts, everything below my waist is moving in a different direction, I can barely breathe, and I feel like my heart is going to give out at any second. I stop and I think to myself, "Don't worry about it. Some people are born to be runners. You're not one of those people." So, I hold myself back because I'm pretty sure that you need some kind of special gene to run and I don't have it. I don't think I'm a runner.
As I thought about this quote today, I realized how much I hold myself back not only from potentially achieving dreams I have for myself, but also how much I hold myself back from experiencing abundant life in Jesus Christ. I tell myself what I think I am or am not, and because of that I squelch what he's trying to do with me. I hold back from experiencing the blessings that he has in store because I think, "I don't think I'm brave enough to do what you've asked... I don't think I'm strong enough to walk this path... I really think you could find someone who could do a much better job at this than I can... I don't think I am qualified enough to do what you've called me to do... I don't think I can do this..." Well, the good news is, I don't have to rely on myself to do what he asks. I'm not brave enough, strong enough, or qualified enough to do much of anything on my own and I'll never be. I am, however, a child of God and because of that, I am a conqueror (Romans 8). Also, he tells me in Hebrews 13:21 that he will "equip [me] with everything good for doing his will, and [will] work in [me] what is pleasing to him."
I want to stop holding back because of who I think I'm not. I want to stop limiting what God can and wants to do in my life. I want him to show me who I am in his eyes so that I can really see what I am capable of.
#31 - Because with him, I don't have to hold back but am more than capable!
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17