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Limitations and Illumination

From the first time we climb into the swing, or stare up at the tallest slide on the playground, we begin to explore--and find--our limitations. Regardless of our most adventurous early experiences, it seems some of us begin to set our own safe, boring boundaries after a couple of failures, or falls, and scraped knees or injured pride tend to dictate whether we like to soar or tiptoe, for the rest of our lives. I used to be a swing-jumper. The higher the better. But somewhere along the way, around 6th grade, when I was teased and tormented for being a "goody two-shoes," belittled for lack of beauty, and taunted about my bargain-store clothing, I lost my nerve---my sense of adventure was bruised, dulled, and lost for awhile.

I picked up a profound axiom from a most unlikely source lately --a comedy...A salesman for Google was trying to convince the owner of a thriving little mom-and-pop pizza place to step into the digital age by getting his business on the map---literally--and using some of their resources to expand his customer base beyond his immediate neighborhood. He was reluctant, to say the least. We've never done that before, we are doing just fine, we don't want to bother with it....these were some of the reasons he gave for saying no. Then the salesman floored him with this response: 
"If we fight for our limitations, we get to keep them."

Have we resisted growing and exploring in the same way? How many limitations have we fought for, and why? These are the "ouch" questions that ought to be distracting us from our daily grind. Here's the big one: can we possibly be living a fulfilling life, with real purpose, if we have fought to keep our hearts and spirits safe, boxed up and locked up?

Asking myself the same question, and searching God's word for answers, I had a moment of illumination. In fact, there is nothing in the Bible that instructs us to be limited. Quite the opposite.
Happiness, fulfilment and joy belong to those who are living in their purpose, ON purpose.

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. -- 2 Timothy 4:9

HIS purpose is OUR purpose -- and it is miraculous, powerful and goes beyond human-set boundaries.

In Matthew 15, when the disciples had a problem (how to feed 5,000+ people, with only enough to serve one), Jesus took their limited resources and produced an unlimited feast. The food just kept going on, and on...and they had a huge excess left over--evidence that God loves to overdo things to make a point. To quote the Dowager Countess of Downton Abbey: "Nothing succeeds like excess!"

David, who slew the giant and won many impossible battles as a mighty warrior and king, reveals in Psalm 36:5 the truth he had discovered about God's nature---and the power of limitlessness. 
"Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies."

If we are to pursue God's nature, which is boundless love, infinite mercy, and limitless possibilities, how can we live a life defined by limitations? If His love saved us, His love defines who we are, in him. We are new creatures, not the sad, shy, powerless girls the world has shamed us into.

Refer to the prayer of Jabez -- study it, pray it, live it---this is pursuing your purpose with guts. Not for the glory--for His glory. Shake off your limits today, and DARE to ask God for wisdom and courage to redefine your self, and shape you into the person who is equipped to answer the call, whatever that call may be. Dismiss the fears, shut out the voices of discouragement, and plunge headfirst into your appointed adventure. 

I leave you with a prayer from Ephesians 3:18....
"And may you have the power to understand as all God's people should, 
HOW WIDE
HOW LONG
HOW HIGH
and HOW DEEP
His love is."


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