Monday Morning Memo: Beyond The Limits

In the past, I have shared with you at the beginning of the year what I felt God wanted me to focus on in the New Year.  At the beginning of 2014 I wrote in “Walking with Jesus in 2014”, about the statement I had run across which said, “Knowing the Bible is one thing. Knowing the Author is another.”   I felt God wanting me to make sure that I really concentrated that year on getting to know my Savior.  I shared that we can have all the Biblical knowledge in the world, but if we don’t know the One who wrote the words, we really don’t know anything.

At the beginning of 2015, God was convicting me on my priorities.  I had to ask myself a hard question which I shared with you in “Above All Else”, “When I get up in the morning, do I look more forward to spending time in the Bible and conversing with the Lord, or am I more anxious to check Facebook?”  Because my answer wasn’t what it should be, I had to make a promise to God that I wouldn’t sign in to my social media accounts each day, until I had spent time with Him.  I have to admit that that one promise revolutionized my devotional time this past year.  I have spent much less time on social media and I haven’t missed it at all!

Now we are on the doorstep of 2016 and for the past six weeks or so, I have been trying to sense where God was leading me for the next 12 months.  No matter how much I prayed or read the Bible or talked with other brothers and sisters in Christ, I wasn’t sensing anything.  I’m the type of person who really likes to have a new focus each year and when I wasn’t getting any “vibes”, I felt just a little panicky.  Yes, I already know…I’m a little strange!

On our recent trip to Boone, NC to work at Samaritan’s Purse, my husband had the opportunity to tour their facilities.  At the end of the tour, they told the participants that they could choose a book, written by Franklin Graham, for free.  Dan actually was able to get two free books because I was supposed to be on the tour but was sick and unable to attend.  So he knew he would make me happy when he walked in with new books for me to peruse.

A couple weeks ago, I picked up one of the books and began reading and soon discovered that I didn’t want to put it down.  The book, Living Beyond the Limits, written in 1998 spoke volumes to me on every page.  Graham shared over and over again how God worked in miraculous ways as he and those around him made the decision to go places and do things that were beyond their limits.  When faced with circumstances that seemed impossible and often even very dangerous, those that he wrote about made the choice to go ahead with their plans, putting their faith and trust in their almighty God.

As a result, lives were transformed.  As a result, those who were facing an eternity in hell, accepted God’s amazing grace and were given the assurance of living in heaven forever with Him.  As a result, those who decided to go beyond their limits in following their Lord had the privilege of seeing Him work in ways they could have never imagined.

As I read, I kept hearing God ask me if I was willing to go beyond the limits.  Would I be willing to do more for Him in 2016…regardless of how far out of my comfort zone it pushed me?  I wish I could tell you that my answer was an immediate YES!...but it wasn’t.  Instead I gave Him immediate excuses.  I made sure He realized that I thought I was already doing enough and I didn’t see how in the world I could do more, especially with my health limitations.  Now if He would just heal me, THEN I might be willing to agree to go beyond the limits.  In other words…the ball was in His court and it was up to Him as to whether I would submit or not.

I finished the book and I just kept feeling uneasy.  I knew He was still asking…and I was still “excusing”.  I picked the book back up one night and was flipping through the pages and my eyes fell on these words, “You can play a role that nobody else can.  It’s your choice. Don’t get out of step by focusing on your own personal difficulties and misfortunes. Keep your eyes and thoughts on the Lord so that your spirit will be sensitive to His leading.  Don’t let your past cause vibrations that shake you out of God’s will.  You can choose to use everything God has allowed in your life to live beyond what you thought was impossible.  You will be amazed at how God will guide and direct your path”.

I knew when I read these words (especially those I have underlined), that God was speaking directly to me.   He was telling me to stop dwelling on what I CAN’T do and start focusing on what He CAN do through me.  I need to allow Him to use the difficulties that I face for HIS glory and not use them as my excuse.  But He won’t force me to follow His leading…it will be my choice to make.

Where is God leading you for 2016?  Have you been asking Him to direct you?  If not, why not use these last days of 2015 to begin seeking His direction and will for the coming days.  If you are scared of what He might tell you…join the club…because I am too!  But I am learning that beginning a new year with a renewed glimpse of His plan can make all the difference on my journey as God walks beside me every step of the way.  

Where He leads…may not be easy…but I’d rather be pushed beyond my limits with Him, than being in my comfort zone without Him.  

Will you join me?

“But if from there you seek the Lord your God,

you will find him if you seek him with all your

heart and with all your soul.”

Deuteronomy 4:29

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding. 

Seek his will in all you do, and

he will show you which path to take.”

Proverbs 3:5-6