By Anna Fisher
God made me capable. The thought struck me and turned a light on in my head. Previously the idea had never crossed my mind, but while assisting a sheep birth (with complications), my brother taught me an invaluable life lesson. The poor sheep was laying on the ground. She apparently had been on the edge of giving birth for a while, but as nothing had progressed, my brother was worried. I slid my hand into the red glove; I was excited about this because I had always wanted to get my hand inside a sheep, and this was my opportunity. The process for her was painful and it intimidated me because after all, I would probably give birth one day myself. The thought of this used to bother me until sitting there in the sheep pen my brother told me: “God made you capable, so you don’t need to worry about it.” And now that I think about it this concept applies to other areas of life as well.
God granted us all with abilities and the means to learn. He gave us talents too, and it is up to us to develop and use them to serve others. Whatever we do we should do it well, and with all of our might. (Ecclesiasties 9:10) I used to worry about not being smart enough -- not measuring up. But then I stopped and thought: God gave me a brain, I just have to use it. He gave me the ability to learn, so He’ll help me. And another lesson out of this: fretting only causes harm (Psalm 37:8). Jesus gave his disciples a parable in Matthew 25 that talked about talents. There was one man who received five, a man who got two, and then finally a man with just one. The other men doubled their talents by trading, but the guy who received just one talent just went and buried it in the earth. It is easy for us to be the sorry man who hid his talent in the ground because he was too timid to do anything. I could have been that guy --- too afraid to challenge myself and gain more knowledge, but instead I was willing to learn.
Elisha gives us a good example of a willing man of God: he jumped on the opportunity to follow God when it came up, and look at the results. It is amazing what can be done with willpower, but not just our willpower: it is ours and God’s working together in unison that produces something beautiful. Sometimes situations may seem impossible, but God reminds us that “all things work together for those who love God, and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) He promises to lead and carry us, (Isaiah 40:11), and he wants us to be one with Him (John 17:21), and through Him we will always measure up.
Jesus is real.
Jesus is right.
Be on the same page.
God made you capable of great things, if you set yourself to doing it to the best of your ability. (Ecclesiastes 9:10 NKJV)