I'm not a big "American Gladiator" fan. It's not that I don't think it's a good competition; actually, I kind of like the idea of seeing the physical challenges without the blood and gore. I just never seem to be able to catch it on the tube. However, this morning I watched a news clip about a Pennsylvania man that is competing in American Gladiator. The reason why this particular man was being featured was not that he was a good athlete, which he was; it was that he was a good athlete with just one leg. He was an athlete whose leg was lost when he was hit by a drunk driver. Through sheer will and determination, and a very high-tech prosthetic leg, this man was able to overcome his handicap and compete with those blessed with all four limbs. His story is one of inspiration and dreams.
I often blame my lack of spiritual success on my handicaps. It's too easy to blame our failures on the obvious shortfalls of our personality or skills. And let me tell you, I'm good at being able to rattle off a list of all the reasons why I'm not "able". Instead of finding a way to work through my limitations, I'm far more content to sit back and tell God that He needs to find someone else who is better able to handle the situation. I'm in good company; Moses did it; Gideon did it, Jonah did it, and so on. We form a large and notorious fraternity of excuse makers.
As I think about all of you, I can't help but think that some of you belong in my fraternity. I see tremendous gifts and skills for ministry. . . but I also see some who are crippled by their areas of weakness to the point that they've given up. You've let Satan deceive you into thinking that it is impossible for you to minister to others because of your "thorn in the flesh." I know that you are well-familiar with that expression - it's the famous quote from the Apostle Paul who pleaded with God to take away his handicap only to discover that it was through that thorn in the flesh that God was truly glorifying Himself through Paul.
Stop being such as baby! (I'm talking to myself as much as I am to you, here) You have those limitations, those "handicaps" for a reason. God did not make a mistake with you. But you need to seek out the Spirit of God in helping you understand how you can change your destiny through those limitations instead of around them.
I failed to pick up the name of that American Gladiator participant; however, I'm sure that as the nation watches him he will stand out from all the rest because of his courage to overcome the obstacles in his life. Imagine what God can do through and in you as you do the same. Are you willing to try? Do you have the courage to proceed? Perhaps you want us to pray for you today. Send a reply and let us know; after all, this is family!
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3 comments:
Thanks for the post, Ray!
Some days I feel like all I have are flaws. I struggle with so many things that seem like the "default mode" for me, anxiety being chief among them. If I'm not constantly confessing my anxiety to God, it can sometimes be all that I see. But you are right about God using everything that we are for His glory, even our greatest weaknesses. Now to remember that the next time I am freaking out...:)
Thanks also for the post Ray!
I am learning to appreciate the weaknesses and flaws that I see in myself and others. God did not create us to be the best at everything. We all have different gifts and abilities to offer, and as a body can work together to use them all for God's glory. Everyone has a gift - it's realizing what that gift is and giving it back to God.
Thanks again!
Ray--I'm not sure why, but I'm reminded of something Mickey Mantle once said : "If I knew I was going to live this long, I would've taken better care of myself." All the men in his family had died fairly young. So, the relevance, I think, is that we can only imagine how much more God can do with us (or through us) when we are open to all of God's callings without self-imposed limitations.
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