Look in the Mirror

            “I know, I know. I know what you’re saying is right, but to be honest, I just want to flush it down the toilet.”

            This came from a good friend of mine. We had been coworkers for a little bit before he moved to Kentucky.  I had just finished spending a half hour explaining the Gospel to him. He was a nominal Catholic; he knew the Gospel. He had heard the stories. I used this to my advantage to skip to the parts I knew he had trouble with.

            And this was his response. I couldn’t believe it. I was fuming.

            I had just spent a good chunk of MY time to talk to him. I spoke eloquently. I was rocking it. I answered all his questions. I had all the right things to say. I left no stone unturned. I demolished his objections. I was evangelizing. I was doing everything right.

            I, I, I. Me, me, me. And I wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t touch my friend’s heart.

            I learned a lesson that day. I can’t change a thing.

If You Run into a Wall

            Have you ever tried so hard to do something? To the point where it became your life at that moment? You devoted every thought and every resource and everything else you had at it. And then… nothing happened?

            That’s how it was during those times with my friend. I did this. I did that. I threw everything at him. But there was one problem.

            I’m just me.

            I learned a bitter lesson that culminated with that day. I can’t change anything in this world. My power (ha!) is extremely limited outside of my own mind. I can have goals and visions, plans and skills. But it doesn’t matter because, by myself, I can do very little.

Grab a Ladder

            Fortunately for sad little me, I’m not left to my own abilities (or lack-of). Let’s look at what you and I can do when we go outside of ourselves for help.

Philippians 4:13 states:

             “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

            All things? Really? God can’t be serious. Oh, but He is. Here’s another one for you. Matthew 19:26 states:

           “But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”

            The Bible makes it clear that we can’t do anything by ourselves. Why? Well, just look in the mirror! You and I can’t control very much. Barack Obama can’t control very much. Vladimir Putin can’t control very much.

            But God isn’t limited by any physical, mental, or spiritual container. He’s not constrained by a lack of knowledge or man-power. He’s not held back by stupidity or arrogance.

            So go ahead, call on Him. You can’t be stopped because if God is with you there is nothing on this earth that can stop you. Scratch that, there’s nothing in this universe that can stop you. Your Maker is also the maker of every atom. He’s in absolute control.

            Or you can rely on your own abilities. Your pick.