by: Sandy Domelle
I enjoy so much when the Lord sends me reminders of His goodness and love in ways that I least expect. Sometimes His reminder is for me to keep going, or to grow in an area in which I’ve not recently seen growth. One of these reminders came while out soul winning a few weeks ago when we knocked on the door of a sweet lady. This lady, Elisabeth, was in her mid 60’s, and very open to me telling her about our church and the Lord. She was saved at the age of 12, but had gotten away from church until just a few years ago. As we chatted, her daughter came into the room and she shared some great stories about her mom. Elisabeth, was packing her things to move to New Mexico to live with her daughter because her husband had passed away last year and she was lonely without family. She told me that when she was younger, she had a Sunday school teacher who told them every Sunday that they could do whatever they put their minds to with God’s help. She taught them to never to limit themselves.
Before she lost her husband, she learned to play the piano at the age of 60. She said she had always wanted to do it when she was younger, but her parents couldn’t afford the lessons. One Sunday, sitting in church, their pastor asked that they pray for more piano players. When she got home, she told her husband she wished she had learned years ago. He said, “It’s never too late to learn something new.” She was very unsure about the idea, but she began taking lessons. She played for me as I sat there, and she did a great job. Honestly, she sounded as if she played for church on a weekly basis.
When I left Elisabeth and her daughter, I couldn’t help but think of how often we limit ourselves by thinking that our age, health, or other excuses keep us from doing what we can or should be doing. God created each one of us for a purpose, and I have to admit there are times when I just don’t want to do something, but I know God has placed the situation in my path to help grow me and make me a stronger Christian. Some things make me a better wife, some things make me a better parent, some make me a better daughter or sister, and some things just help me help others. When we put forth excuses as to why we can’t or won’t learn something new, we limit what God can do in our lives.
God says in 2 Chronicles 16:9, “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.” This verse teaches us that God wants to be strong through us. That means the only reason God is not strong through us is because we limit Him. When you limit God, you are limiting yourself. Israel limited God in Psalm 78:41 when it says, “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.” Israel’s act of limiting God caused them to limit themselves. Let me give you a few thoughts on how to avoid limiting yourself.
1. Don’t let your age limit you from growing in the Lord.
When the lady in the story above removed her age as a limit to learning the piano, then God was able to use her. The older we get, the more we must be careful not to think we are too old to do something. Likewise, you must not think you are too young to do something for God. Age can limit us whether we are old or young. Remember, if God has laid something on your heart to do, then He has the power to help you do that job.
2. Don’t let your attitude limit you.
Our attitude can be one of the biggest things that limit us from doing things for God. When you have a bad or negative attitude, then you have limited God from being able to work through you. You must always keep a positive attitude that God has the power to help you do what to you may seem impossible.
3. Don’t let the hardness of a situation limit you.
Hard things can sometimes cause us to put a limit on what we can do. In times when you think something is too hard to do, remember Philippians 4:13 when it says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” If you develop an “I CAN” attitude, then no matter how hard the situation is that you face, you will find that God will help you accomplish that task.
4. Faith in God will remove all limits from you.
It really all comes down to this, you must have faith in God when you think you are at your limit. God allows us to face limits so that we can have faith in Him to realize that He has no limits. There have been many times in my life when I have had to trust God by faith and step out and do things I thought I could not do. I have always found when I step out by faith and not limit myself, that God steps in and helps me grow and accomplish what He knew I already could do.