Do You Create Your Own Limitations? | Embracing that God Makes Your Capable

God has a plan for your life. For this plan, He makes you capable to accomplish what you have been called to do. Do you create your own limitations and set roadblocks up in your own paths? Learn how to embrace your calling, chase your God-given dreams, and recognize the limitations you've been putting in your own way today. 

I grew up loving basketball. My dad and I would watch every Duke game we could, along with quite a few WNBA games. I began taking basketball seriously in the 5th grade, and I would watch ESPN in the mornings, go out and shoot around in our driveway at lunch time, and watch WNBA in the afternoons. That's practically all I did the summer before my 6th grade year. I then went on to play basketball through middle and high school.

For most of my basketball career, I played at a small Christian school. I was one of the top scorers in my conference, and by the end of my 10th grade season, I had scored 1,000 points. I loved the game so much.

But in 11th grade, I transferred to public school. I loved the school itself and had a good circle of friends, but when it came to basketball, I was miserable. It's true that some of my experiences at the Christian school had not prepared me for the level of play at public school. But before I even gave myself a real chance, I had myself convinced that I could not play at that level. I was so anxious and nervous at practices and in games because of the perceptions I assumed people had of me.

I rarely made it off the bench. Some of that was just the coach. But some of it was because I had not shown my full potential at practices. And honestly, I was just as capable as many of those girls. Was I the best? No. I was definitely lower on the totem pole than I had been used to at my small private school. But I was still capable. I was still talented. But because I had psyched myself out and convinced myself I wasn't good enough, I limited what I was able to accomplish.

Michael Jordan once said, "Never say never, because limits, like fears, are often just illusions"

Do you limit yourself by your own, faulty perception of things? Do you tell yourself that you cannot accomplish your goals? Do you give into your fear of failure and limit your full potential? Please stop.

Know that you are so very capable!

Chase Your Dreams

For the Christian, "chasing dreams" always has a caviat - because we know that ultimately, God directs our paths (Psalm 37:23) and we know that He has a good plan for our lives (Romans 8:28). But we also know that God calls us to do our very best in everything we do (1 Corinthians 10:31), working hard and performing to the best of our ability.

God has given us the ability to accomplish whatever He has called us to (2 Cor. 9:8, Eph. 3:20). So if you have a God-given dream, you have been made capable to do it. Questioning yourself and your abilities is pointless because 1.) God has made us capable, and 2.) we are relying on God's infallible power, not our own.

So, do you want to be a full-time blogger like I do? Well then spend every moment of free time working towards that goal and improving. 

Do you want to be an artist, but you're scared the money won't be good enough? Do what you love. If you can't make it financially at first, then do it part-time, until it becomes a more consistent revenue source.

Do you feel called to the foreign mission field, but you are scared you will fail or not adjust well to a new culture? Don't believe those fears. 

I limited myself on the basketball court. Thankfully, as He always does, God used that struggle to take me on the path I needed to be on. Basketball wasn't my calling, and God used my limiting thoughts to lead me away from my dream of basketball. But that doesn't mean that my limiting, self-conscious thoughts were good - it just means that He used them for my good (Romans 8:28).

A Little Perspective Goes a Long Way

My decline in basketball was what God used to help me realize I didn't want to play ball in college. For years, that had been my dream, but because of my "failure", I realized that I was done with competitive sports, and that was actually an extremely positive thing for me.

So in areas where you don't do as well as you had hoped, don't lose perspective. Look at what good came from it, and how it may have actually benefited you. Likewise, remember that God's plan is perfect. We can't see the full picture, and we should always be asking God to lead us in our dreams and decisions.

Reject limiting attitudes that doubt God or the abilities that God is gifting you with. Anything that distrusts God's power is sin. But remember that God will lead His people. Do your best, reject limitations that you unnecessarily set for yourself, and trust God's plan even when it doesn't look like you thought it would. 

Today is a new day, my friends. Make it count for something grand. Don't limit yourself, don't be afraid, and don't give up!