I Can

How many times do we wait for others to give us permission to succeed?  We wait for the applause before we perform, we wait for the money before we sell, and we wait for others to confirm we are going the right way before we take a step in that direction.

Isn't this people-pleasing wrapped up in a pretty bow, but instead of doing something to please people, we are waiting to please people before we start doing it.

However, tonight I've decided something.  I've decided that I can.

I'm no longer going to wait for others permission to succeed.

See I always thought this was a humility thing.  You know sit at the lowly spot at the table and wait for the host to move you to the greatest seat.  However, I was sitting at the wrong table.

I sit at the lowly spot at my teacher's table, or my friend's table, or even at the table of the person I happen to be in charge of.  Humility is not sitting at these tables, pride is found here.  I'm waiting for their approval, for them to move me up, for them to tell me I have the ability to succeed.

I should be sitting at the Lord's table.  I sit in the worst spot at his table, and yet he blesses me beyond all that I've ever imagined.  He raises me up when I don't deserve it.  The relationship with the Lord shows me both that I absolutely cannot, but with Him, I can.

I can be freed from other people's permission, opinions, or approval.  I can walk boldly to the path the Lord has called me on.

I can fight the enemy.  I can win this battle.

I don't need your permission because I absolutely cannot, but with Him, I can.

So many times have I masked my own pride in my humility.  So many times I turned to others when I should have been on my knees.

So many times I've counted on others permission to succeed.  So many times I've waited for someone to help, when I've had everything I need.

I absolutely cannot, but with Him I can.

Freedom from Fear: let's stop it from ruining our lives.

So, I don't know about you, but I get scared of just about everything. Rational and irrational.  Rational: losing the people I love, irrational: I'm convinced I'm going to get sick and throw up on stage.  Rational: blind spots in the car, irrational: there is someone hiding behind my shower curtain.  I'm not playing, I'm serious.

However, as I've grown-up, I've realized how much these fears have hindered me from living for God, and enjoying the good things He has blessed with.

I went on a ski trip this past week.  I love to ski; I think it is so fun. However, I'm kinda terrified of looking down the face of the mountain and knowing that is only me and two boards of plastic getting me down.

Then, I realized something.  When I get scared, I dig in and break hard core, and on the snowy days we were having it was causing me more problems,
then if I had just made my s shapes all the way down the mountain.

It got so bad, the second day. I really wanted to do this tree run.  I love tree runs, they are something new and fresh I get to explore.  So, I get to the top of the tree run break, look down, and realize I'm about to go down this thing and I don't think I want to.  I'm screaming down going "I'm not sure I want to do this" and people at the bottom and the ski lift are yelling back "you can do it." So I do it, but only my way. To gain control, I e
nd up breaking, which I shouldn't have, and I get stuck. So stuck someone had to come help me or I was headed straight for a tree.

I wanted to "feel" like I was in control, and ended up causing more problems for myself.  There were many tree runs, that would have allowed me to get some air, but I would break too hard and miss out.
We do this in life don't we.  God gives us a great tree run, a break from our everyday, which we get to use our gifts and talents to glorify him, and yet we crave control.  We feel like it's all going to fast, so we break and end up heading straight for a tree instead.

What are we doing?  Let's stop breaking through life.  Am I saying you should go barreling down the mountain, no that's a sure way to get hurt.  I'm saying that yes,  take it all in, but don't break so hard because you want control.

I need to trust the Lord that He has got me.  The Lord that made the mountain, I think can keep me upright on it.  He doesn't need my hands gripped so tight on the reigns, that I never enjoy the ride.

I didn't go down the black...btw

So will you join me?  Let's take those tree runs, and gets some sweet air, because we don't need to fear when the Lord who made them is on our side.