Over the weekend, I had a chance to take my 8 month old English Springer, Zoe Belle, out for a walk on a nearby trail. Since it was just before the crack of dawn, the deer were enjoying their quiet area, free from runners and cyclists. All at once, my gregarious, full of energy Springer was making her debut down the path, scattering the deer to and fro. With every deer sighting Zoe tugged, pulled, and tried to lunge her way toward these beautiful creatures. Zoe has more capacity, energy and smarts than I would have thought possible for a pup of her age.
As human beings, we too, can do a lot in our own strength. We are capable of accomplishing amazing things. The list is endless as to the gifts and abilities that God has created us with. Within our own organization, some are gifted in fitness leadership. Others with hospitality. Others with cleaning and organizing. Managing finances. Operating computers. Leading. Teaching. Training. Managing. You get the picture. God has made us in His image and blessed each of us with gifts and abilities unique just to us.
The problem? As we grow in skills and abilities, we can depend on ourselves and what WE can do. We get comfortable. Even prideful, I might add. We start thinking we're pretty good at something. A notch above the rest. Yep, it's easy to always look around and make sure we're a bit better than the next person. This is the dilemma of human pride. Our life equation for success?: Human Effort+My Talent= My outstanding accomplishments. Many gifted and talented individuals go their entire lives on their own strength, missing out on the power of God.
Imagine if we took our own human abilities and invited God to help us each day? Our equation for living?: God+ Human Efforts= God-Sized Accomplishment. When we partner with God, we still do our best. However, we invite God, to do what we cannot accomplish on our own. It's supernatural.
What might your life look like if you trust God for doing immeasurably more than you can ask for or hope for? What if you realized the power of prayer to actually make a huge difference in your meetings, decisions, relationships and dreams? What if you realized that God longs for a relationship with you and wants to help you in daily life? We have not because we just don't ask.
I want to believe God for big things. Extraordinary things. Things I can't do on my own. Things only God can do. Don't you?
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..." Ephesians 3:20
Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
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