I wondered if you too have ever said…
But Lord, I CAN’T…
Something I have learned through the years is the “I CAN’T…” mentality always has an inward focus, looking solely at your own personal abilities, inadequacies, inexperience, that try to disqualify you before you even step out and discover you CAN… Instead of having an outward focus, looking to the Lord to strengthen, qualify and equip, help lead and guide you, so that you CAN do all things through Him…
And as I am thinking about this, I wonder if you too are being led into something unfamiliar… perhaps even uncomfortable… where you must leave that ‘oh so tried and true’ comfort zone and walk by faith into the new He has for you in 2025…
When Jeremiah was called, the word of the Lord came to him saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you (set you apart); I ordained (appointed) you a prophet (one who is called) to the nations.” But Jeremiah, voicing his disqualificationsaid, “Lord God! Behold, I CANNOT speak, for I am a youth (claiming his inadequacy and inexperience).” The Lord in His Omniscience (All-Knowing nature) replied back: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you.” Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched his mouth, and the Lord said: “Behold I have put My words in your mouth. See I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:4-10)
Oh Darlin’ when the Lord calls you forward into… you must always remember three things:
#1: Stop voicing your disqualifications, your “I CAN’Ts…” You know those comebacks that are so ingrained in your way of thinking… those “I’m too old… I’m too young… I’m going through the change of life… I’m too inexperienced… I’m too afraid… I have a past… It’s too late…”
I remember years ago my husband gifted me with a personal trainer, which I was excited to embark upon this journey of fitness with. I remember one day she said to me while I was gracefully struggling through my ab exercises, “Jana, your mind will quit before your body will.” Meaning your mind will tell you “I CAN’T…” But your body is made to be resilient, strong, and powerful, and CAN do more than you think it can. Your body can push forward and lift harder than you think it can. Don’t allow your mind to set limitations on yourself, push through!
#2: Speak God’s Word over yourself, taking action in obedience to His word to you, and allowing Him to qualify and equip you.
#3: And refuse to fear!
The Lord doesn’t always call the qualified, but He will qualify the called… As we can see in the lives of so many in the Bible like Jeremiah, Joshua, David, Joseph, Moses, and Esther…
Always remember that God has fashioned your days ahead of you before there was yet one. (Psalm 139:16) And you have been placed in His Kingdom for such a time as this. So with the one life you have to live, let’s together replace the “I CAN’Ts…” with the “I CANs…” and step out by faith INTO what He is calling us to do in the days ahead . For He knows the plans He has for you… and they are plans to give you a hope and a future! Glory!