Limitations

“We tend to limit ourselves.  Others can limit us. But in Christ we become limitless because of his provisions. God wants us to grow. He is our parent. And like any parent He is pleased when we take even wobbly steps.” ~Patsy Clairmont~

After reading this paragraph I was provoked to think about some of the limitations people had put on me and I put on myself? And the conclusion I came to is, often the limitations we put on ourselves has a root in those set by others.

A friend (who was very dark complexed), shared that as a young girl she would run errands and clean for her neighbors for change, so she could buy bleaching cream in the hope it would lighten her skin. Her sibs teased her and called her black bear and black bunny. She grew up thinking she was flawed and ugly. (She is one of the most beautiful  woman God has created.) But she felt limited by the view of others when it came to the color of her skin. That was until she found out who God said she was, and things began to change for her.

This was one of many limitations put on Blacks by slave owners. The lighter skinned slaves (offspring of white masters) became the house slaves and the darker ones worked the fields. This mindset that lighter is better has carried throughout American history and other counties. And even in our own families. 

I on the other hand, worked hard to prove I would be something (growing up I was told I wouldn’t be), and every time I failed or something didn’t work out, I felt deep down they were right. And when I became older I began to put my own limitations into place based on those lies. We all do.

Believing the lies of others damages us emotionally. Once a child is made to feel, unloved, stupid, dumb, unwanted, and flawed and of no value—things are set in motion that can shape us for the rest of our lives.

But, God, has a destiny and path for us as individuals and in that—there are no limitations beyond our own minds.

God tells us to do something, and fear holds us back.  Moses is a prime example.  He deemed himself slow of speech (his self imposed limitation), and even with God telling him, “I will put the words in your mouth.” it was still not enough. He wanted Aaron to go with him and do the talking. (Exodus 4:10-16) click to read

Low self-esteem is another culprit that’s in the business of imposing limitations. Our low self-esteem can be emotional, physical, intellectually or all three! Anyone of these can do great harm in keeping us from God’s best—but it’s not because He hasn’t made a way for us to move forward. It’s because of the limitations others have instilled in us and those we set for ourselves.

One of the biggest limitations we can put on ourselves is going through life not knowing what the Bible has to say. Our ignorance puts us behind those who do know and will always limit us in what we can achieve.

I had been told so many times as a child that I was stupid and dumb, until deep down I believed every word of it. One day while doing a work project (in my 50’s) I had forgotten something and said, “Ponnie you are so stupid!”  And the Holy Spirit said, “How can you be stupid and still have the mind of Christ?”  It was not in an audible voice, but it shook me in a way that it might as well have been. (At the time I was doing a bible study with Gloria Copeland on “our words” and as you can see it was staring to sink in.) “I can’t. It’s impossible!” I answered.

Maybe you grew up in a home where you were not wanted, unloved, mocked by your sibs, bullied, mistreated, pronounced ugly, dumb, stupid and of no value. You might have been used and abused. But in Christ, we are new creatures! That means in body, spirit, mind and soul. Yet, there is one small catch to all of this—we have to do the work to find out exactly how this new creature thing works and what it's all about.

I no longer speak badly about or to myself. I never use my words to confirm anything that goes against what the Bible says I am. It took practice, but I mastered it.

It doesn’t matter what life has tried to limit you to being—God says, something totally different. I don’t care what you have been through, or what you have done—the Cross covers it all!

Does this mean you buy into the foolishness of the world and think you can be anything you desire to be? No! It means you can be and excel in that which God has called you to be.

If your husband thinks you are not a good housekeeper or cook—you can begin to change that today!  You never finished high school and it’s holding you back—you can start changing that today! Your household is in an uproar because you haven’t been an attentive mother—you can also begin to change that today!

The truth is—we cannot study the Word of God too much! If we have time to watch TV, then we have time to get into the Word and learn how to unlock the balls and chains of “limitation”!

What is it you feel limited in? What limitations have others instilled in you that are not truth? What are you afraid of?

Come on sisters; let’s start taking some wobbly steps toward change. Just in case you didn’t know it—the sky is the limit in God. Amen!

Until next week...

Blessings and Hugs,

Ponnie