Whether You Say You Can or Can't
- You're
Right!
I was playing with my son the
other day and
he asked me to do something to
which I replied,
"I can't." He looked
at me and
simply asked, "how do you
know?"
And he was right. In his innocence
he asked
the age old question of "How
do we know
if we can do something unless
we try?"
Thus causing the title of this
month's newsletter
to come about - whether you say
you can or
you can't, you're right!
Picture this: You are training
at the gym
with your buddy and you both
have been trying
to crack the 300 lb plateau on
the bench.
Your training partner gets revved
up and
like the little engine that could
keeps himself
going with words of self-encouragement.
"I
can do this," he says. "It's
only
some iron, nothing else. I've
been working
towards this and today I am going
to get
it!" You encourage him as
well, his
own personal cheering squad.
He sets under
the bar, plants his feet, grabs
the bar and
bang! He pumps out two reps with
no help
and two with your help! He jumps
up and he
is elated! What took months to
draw near
to has become a reality! He is
a member of
the 300 club! The celebration
is short though,
because it is your turn. Your
membership
card to the club a mere rep away.
However,
there is a black cloud creeping
in at the
edge of your mind. SELF DOUBT
is its name
and you are beginning to hear
it more than
your partner's encouraging words.
"You
can't do this," it says.
"300 lbs?
HA! HA! You were lucky to get
225 when you
did and now you want 300?!? Yeah
right,dream
on, you can't do it!" On
the outside,
you pace like a lion in front
of the bench,
even growl a little bit for show,
but you
already know the outcome - failure.
You go
through the motions, lay down,
plant your
feet, grab the bar and with a
break, you
lower the bar to your chest where
it decides
to take a rest. You partner leans
in and
with help you rack the bar with
no reps to
your credit. Membership - Rejected.
You sit
up, dejected even though your
buddy gives
you backslaps for your effort.
Do you see
the difference? You were doomed
before you
even sat down. By saying you
couldn't, you
set in motion a path of events
that led to
failure. Ensuring that you were
correct -
you couldn't do it. Your friend
was sure
he was going to do it and he
did. He had
none of the negative feelings
going into
the lift that you did and he
succeeded. His
mindset was one of victory, of
a champion.
Sometimes that is all the difference
there
is betwen first and second place.
So both
you AND your friend were right.
Think about
that the next time you go to
say those words.
I know I will!
In our Christian life, those words, "I
can't," are the words that God is just
waiting for us to finally utter. Moses said
them, look what happened! Gideon uttered
something to that effect, even practically
daring God and look there! The Bible is filled
with guys who said "I can't!" Just
what God wants because then it isn't you
and me doing something, but God through us!
I am one of those people who gets all discombobulated
when I have to speak in front of a crowd,
let alone about things of God. Yet, I do
it. Why? God. I like to think that he has
a little notebook up there just waiting for
me to say, "But I can't" because
He says, "it's about time you realized
that Bobby, because I can! And He has. When we went to the Arnold in
March, I knew He was with me because He gave
me a boldness to speak to people about Jesus
that I knew I didn't have. As Val has put
it from time to time, it is like being a
vantriliquist dummy with God moving your
mouth, when you let Him take control. When
we came back from the Arnold we did a little
strength exhibition at my church where I
was able to speak in front of 200+ people.
I knew I had over 400 eyes on me, and yes,
I was nervous, but the words, "fear
not, for I am with thee," were thrumming
inside me. I knew that the very same God
who spoke with Moses, who said he couldn't,
was with me that day when I said I couldn't.
It is an awesome thing, letting God take
control, because as humans, we don't like
giving up that control. But let me tell you,
it's the best thing! "I can do ALL
things through Christ who strengthens me!"
And remember, when you say you can't in these situations,
it's not necessarily a bad thing!
And now our prayer. Father help us to understand
that in You all things are possible, that
it is You we should rely on and not ourselves.
Let us turn to You as a first resort instead
of the last one and please forgive us when
we don't. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!
Now go with God and lift that iron! |
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