Words From Thomas. Words From Jesus.

"If we did the things we were capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves" 
 Thomas Edison

These were the words that were above my desk in Mrs. Berry's Advanced American Studies class that I took in my Junior year of high school. I read this phrase every single day. It repeated in my head as I wrote my first college-level paper, decided to take that extra math course, gave my first speech, performed my first monologue, and preached my first sermon. Sometimes, it was mortifying. But other times, it was astounding. 

Thomas Edison is the one that we can thank for our light bulbs, phonographs, motion picture cameras and many more twenty-first century necessities.  He's one of America's greatest inventors. But what most people do not know about Thomas was that he was the seventh boy born into a poverty stricken family - opportunity did not hold reality. He was a poor student and was looked down upon by even his school teachers. And when Thomas was just twelve years old, he became almost completely deaf. What could he be truly capable of now without the advantage of modern-day hearing aids? However, Thomas wasn't stopped by his low-income family background, physical ailments, and lack of opportunity. He believed that he was capable. You know the ending to his story. His inventions are pretty astonishing when we truly stop and think about them. 

Now I know some women, and I know myself, we doubt ourselves. We doubt because we are unsure of what we do not see. We are lacking in faith (Hebrews 11:1). We confuse our voice with God's voice, foolishness with boldness, and insecurities with God-given gifts. When my thoughts linger in my incapability, I have to choose to remember not the wise words of a famous inventor, but the true words of the hope of the world.

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness"

 It amazes me that our hope IS the hope for the world. The one that was,  is, and is to come {Revelation 1:8}. This means that this same hope that we trust in, is the same hope that helped Peter walk on water and Paul praise in prison. The good news is that the miracle maker is ours, and we are His. When we are not capable, Jesus is.

What have you been incapable of doing this week?
1. Is God trying to speak to you, but you are thinking it is merely your own wild thoughts?
2. Does God want you to do something out of boldness that you may think is foolish?
3. Has God's gift to you turned into your biggest insecurity?

Yep. Me too, I agree with all of the above. But guess what? His grace is sufficient for me. I desperately want to rely on His assurance, strength, and power so that I can walk in boldness and move in my gifting unashamedly. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I want to do all that I am capable of doing. I am waiting for astonishment, amazement, and astounding things to happen here.

 Take a few minutes and read 2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10 so that you, too, can taste His sufficient grace.