Above & Beyond: How God Exceeds Our ExpectationsSample

Boxed In

We all have insecurities or areas we feel inadequate. Those limitations are born in past experiences of falling short and moments of failure. We either limit ourselves, others, or God. That said, in the same capacity, we all can impress ourselves and build self-confidence. We have the God-given gifts and abilities to be exceptional.

God sees more in us than we see in ourselves, but our self-limiting mindset often trumps God’s promises and encouragement. Many men in the Bible suffered from fear and insecurity. God recognized Gideon as a mighty man of valor, despite declaring himself the weakest in his family. Moses certainly felt incapable of freeing the nation of Israel from Egyptian captivity. Joshua wasn’t convinced of his abilities to lead his people into the promised land. Time after time, we see God’s faithfulness to deliver and elevate those who feel insecure about their abilities. What area do you feel most inadequate? What are you fearful of pursuing because of fear or doubt? Rest assured, if we concentrate on our needs, desires, performance, and pride, we will miss what God wants to do through us.

Conversely, if we are aware that we need God to show up on our behalf, and it’s not about our strength, we have a front-row seat to His magnificence. He works through us, and as we serve others, we even impress ourselves by exceeding our expectations (Be mindful that there is a fine line between inflated ego and proud moments of accomplishment where we give God glory for our success). My encouragement is for all of us to press through fear and insecurity that boxed us into a confined space of limitations. Yielding to the power and direction of the Holy Spirit frees us to perform at higher levels than we realize are possible.