Beyond Abilities
By
Elin Henderson
“For
I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability,
they were freely willing.”
2
Corinthians 8:3 (NKJV)
How often we measure
our life and our accomplishments past, present and future by our abilities. We
look at our measure of strength and from that, we say “I’ll take that job, it
falls within my list of abilities, but that one there is a little too beyond
me.” In my life and ministry here in Mozambique, the Lord is constantly
reminding me to be open to be used beyond my abilities. I am not a teacher, but
am called to homeschool my kids with minimal resources and minimal
ability/knowledge. My language skill is low, but I’m called to speak into the
lives of the people around me and teach literacy classes, stretching far beyond
my abilities. On and on the list goes.
In your life, I am sure
you can find similar circumstances occurring. God’s power is unleashed into our
lives when we are “freely willing,” like the Macedonians Paul was speaking of
here, to be used beyond our abilities! Then, we truly experience that for which
we have been created; to be used of Him and allowing Him to live His life and
purposes out through us with an unexplainable strength.
One of my favorite
preachers of old is Phillips Brooks. He was ministering in the US around the
time of Abraham Lincoln and has a quote that I keep close by to remind myself
to be available “beyond my abilities.”
“Do
not pray for easier lives; pray to become stronger men.
Do
not pray for tasks equal to your powers;
Pray for powers equal to your tasks.
Pray for powers equal to your tasks.
Then
your life shall be no miracle, but you shall be a miracle.
Each
day you shall wonder at that which is wrought in you
by the Grace of God.” [1]
by the Grace of God.” [1]
May your life be a
testimony and miracle of the impossible as you freely and willingly go beyond
your abilities by His strength!
GOING DEEPER:
1. If you were to make
a list of your abilities, what would it look like? How about the things that
are beyond your abilities?
2. Do you feel the Lord
calling you to any of those areas? Today, “pray for powers equal to your tasks,
not tasks equal to your powers.”
FURTHER READING:
[1] Phillips Brooks –
all sermons and quotes available online at The Project Gutenberg Ebook.
Oakwood’s
missionaries Elin Henderson (a registered nurse) and her husband Phil serve as
church planters with New Tribes in Mozambique, Africa. Elin is mother to
Callie and Elias.
