Monday, August 4, 2008

Whats your limit?

We all have them. The straw that broke the camels back; the last straw; and my last nerve. We as humans have limits. There are speed limits, credit card limits, 10 items or less limits, and alcohol consumption limits. Humans put limits on relationships. Parents use limits with their children.

Today is not about agreeing or disagreeing about whether limits are good or bad.

His grace is not limited, His love is not limited, and His acceptance of us is not limited.

Do we limit God?
This marriage is too far out of whack to be saved.

There is no way this relationship can be restored.

We are too far into debt, our house is about to foreclose, and we are buying groceries on our credit card.

We have tried for 6 months to get pregnant, it’s not working.

Our child has decided that living on the streets and doing drugs is okay.

This church is so worried about being politically correct and following rules, where is God in all this mess?

The doctors have said 6 months to a year.


Do we limit how God can work? Do we limit who God can use? Do we limit where we can see God? Do we try and contain Him so it makes sense to us? Do we limit God so we can feel comfortable?

I believe the very controversial book The Shack is so controversial right now because we are limiting God. We are a saying that God can’t use a fiction book to speak to the hearts of people. Really?

I am blogging about this today because this is a very real thing for me right now. I am questioning myself right now. "God how am I limiting you?"

I hear Him saying…"Child please don’t limit Me, I am limitless and I want You to experience all of Me."


Psalm 147:5
Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

John 3:34
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

May we experience the freedom God has for us by not limiting Him to do His thing!!

10 comments:

Tracy said...

Amen! I feel the same way sometimes. Like I want to limit him to work in the big aspects of my life, but not the small. I guess I feel like it's not worth his time...but that is so far from the truth. I know that God is ALWAYS there, in valleys and out. Thanks for the post....something to meditate on!

Mylah Stanton said...

This post is right on time in my life Sis. I need to take God out of the box I keep trying to shove Him. NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR GOD!

I really want to get together with you soon! Miss you dearly Nichole.

Mylah Luper-Johnson
Founder
THIS I KNOW!

Kristen said...

Amen! Why do we put God in a box. He's bigger than the box...
Some limits are for our protection and well being... other limits can destroy us and our relationships.
You are so right on! His grace is limitless.

It's interesting that you mentioned The Shack... I just picked that book up today at Berean. I put it back on the shelf. Looks like I need to pick it back up and read it!

Blessings to you sweet sister.
K

Sue J. said...

I'm studying Isaiah with friends this summer. One of the great verses in there is 45:9 "Will the clay say to the potter, 'What are you doing?' Or the thing you are making say, He has no hands'"

What was that musical from years ago? Your Arm's Too Short to Box with God. How can you tell your Creator that He's not capable of creating anything from something?!

But, being the potsherds (slivers of broken pottery) that we are, we somehow want to believe that we can be more.

Our Potter can restore, re-fire, re-create....How much do we trust Him to do that?

Great post! (Visiting through your comments on Wonder Woman Wonders.)

Jami said...

Wow, Nicole! What a thought provoking post. Thanks!! :)

Jamie said...

I so needed this one! I'm going to spend some time thinking on this. I haven't read that book yet, but I think I would like to.

ThreeGirlyGirls said...

I struggle with this....knowing that God is "limitless" but feeling un-worthy of being in that zone!!

Love your thoughts on this!!

Jen - Balancing Beauty and Bedlam said...

Lots to ponder....we do try to limit God all the time, don't we. Even when we don't know it. I do think that the Shack is controversial for more reasons than just limiting God by using a fictional book. I have been moved so often by fiction, but I would think the controversy comes in the theology/doctrine outlined in the book. I have had some great discussions with my friends over it,and I think it's split 40/60. If nothing else, I love that iron sharpens iron, and have been challenged to think outside the box whether I agree or disagree with the theology.:)Just like this post does...thank you.

Wrinkled Shirts said...

Thanks so much for the visit and the prayer! God Bless!
Paula G.

TAMI said...

Last night our Home Group ended up in Matthew 26 (Garden of Gethsemane - betrayal/arrest) 52"Put your sword back in its place," Jesus said to him, "for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. 53Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 54But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?"

This touched me SSSOOOOOO deeply. Fear over a broken marriage? Not able to get pregnant? Certain you'll never be able to loose weight? Then cloth yourself - talking to me, right now! - with a truthful "Put your fears, insecurities, & destructive habits back in their place. Don't you know that God is (fill in the blank)?"

I have The Shack but haven't started reading it yet. Eager to get into it.