Stop short-changing and second-guessing yourself: Why not you?
This article is republished from Dianna Hobbs’ “Your Daily Cup of Inspiration,” one of the Top 100 blogs for women of faith. To get more inspiration like this, visit YourDailyCupOfInspiration.com.
Last night my daughters Kyla and Kaiah reminded me that I used to have a really quirky habit. I’m not sure when I stopped doing it, but once upon a time, when I found something to be hilarious, I would literally take off running at full speed.
After they brought it up in casual conversation, Kaiah reenacted it for me, reminding me of just how ridiculous it was. Whether I was at home or out in public, if something or someone tickled my funny bone, I ran as if someone were chasing me. That only happened, however, when something was can’t-catch-my-breath, tears-streaming-down-my-face, side-splitting funny.
Laughter—even in its silliest, most obnoxious form—is medicine, unless it’s the kind of laughter we read about in Genesis 18:9-15. In this passage, Sarah overheard a messenger of God telling her husband Abraham that she would give birth to a son the following year. That meant Sarah would be a first-time mom at 90 years old! That seemed hilariously unbelievable to her and evoked laughter.
Unlike those who laugh out loud, Scripture tells us that Sarah’s laugh was silent and her internal dialogue was too. Even so, God heard Sarah laugh and say, “How could a worn-out woman like me enjoy such pleasure, especially when my master—my husband—is also so old?” God replied to Sarah’s unbelief by asking, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”
Have you ever had a moment of self-doubt like Sarah did that made something seem like it was impossible for you? You may have felt like you were too old, too young, too inexperienced, too unskilled, too limited, too weak, too awkward, too timid, too introverted, too damaged, or too unlikely to achieve something. Limited thinking will make you ask, how could someone like me do that, have that, or become that?
And once your thoughts go down that path, instead of focusing on the power of your limitless God, you start fixating on your own weaknesses, inabilities, and limitations. That leads to stress, worry, fear, frustration, and discouragement.
“God wants to shift your focus away from what you can’t do and draw your attention to what He can do. Nothing is impossible for the Lord!”
Friend, the power of Christ rests upon you, and we know that there is nothing too hard for Him. Jesus speaks to storms and makes them cease (Matthew 8:23-27). He heals all manner of diseases (Matthew 4:23). He raises the dead (John 11:38-44). He supernaturally provides for those who are lacking (Matthew 14:13-21). He can do anything! So why would you doubt that God is able to work in your situation and make the impossible possible in your life?
If God could do the impossible for Abraham and Sarah, why not you? What problem do you have that’s too great for God to overcome? What obstacle can block Him? What hindrance can restrain Him? What oppositional force can defeat Him? No one and nothing exists that can stop God from doing what He has planned to do. There is no setback, no disadvantage, no problem and no scenario that is too hard for God to handle.
Whatever He wills, He does. Whomever He chooses, He uses. He chose Abraham and Sarah, and just as He said, Sarah gave birth to a son named Isaac whose name means laughter. God chose you too, and you will give birth to His promises as well.
But you’ve got to believe that He has chosen you to bless, to use, to anoint, to elevate, to heal, to increase, to favor, and to shower blessings upon. So don’t worry about your deficiency, because your sufficiency is in Christ. God chose you before the foundations of the world, and He already knew every limitation and challenge you would face. Despite that, He chose you, and His perfect will shall be done in your life.
To remind you of this truth, I’m stirring Isaiah 14:24 NIV into your cup of inspiration, which says, “The LORD Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will happen.’”
As you drink down the contents of your cup, rejoice in knowing that none of your limitations inhibit God from doing what He has planned for you, in you, and through you. His purpose will go forth, and again, His will shall be done.
Others have tapped into their faith and seen God work miracles. Why not you?
