3 Lessons We Can All Learn From Our Limitations

Limitations aren’t a hindrance despite what many people, even Christians, may think. They can be stepping stones for a greater purpose of strengthening us and our relationship with the Lord but can also be a way for the Lord to humble us.

“Therefore I take pleasures in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” – 2 Corinthians 12:10 (NKJV)

Why do we allow our limitations to hinder us spiritually?

Well, I think it’s because we feel that we are inadequate and that we cannot perform to the best of our abilities and that someone else is more capable than we are.We see this play out in various portions of the Bible where people have felt incapable of doing the assignment that God has placed on them.

Exodus 4:10 (NKJV) says, “10. Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and [a]slow of tongue.”

Moses felt so insecure about his limitation to speak clearly that he immediately shot down God’s call for him to go to Pharaoh and release the Israelites.Do we oftentimes feel this way? Do we fill our heads with lies of “I’m NOT qualified,” “Why me, God?” “You’ve chosen the wrong person.” The Lord God who created us says otherwise. He says, “If you place your limitations into My hands, you will be able to do so much more than you think. Trust Me.”

Related Post: The Task Ahead of You is Never Greater Than the Strength Within You

This is one lesson that I have still struggle with, letting the perceived limitations that I have placed on myself override my trust and faith in God.

Life is going to be full of roadblocks. Will we allow our limitations to keep us from going through them?

I’ve gathered a small list of some of these very lessons that are helping me realize that my limitations are not to be defined by my own merits but by putting them into the hands of the One who can get me through them.

1). Limitations are a Reflection of How You See Yourself

We must learn to become self-aware of who we are and who we are. Are we defining our limitations by our circumstances or by God?A mirror reflects whatever happens to be saturated in it. What exactly is being reflected at us in our spiritual mirror? Is it God’s Word or our limitations?Are we making it natural for us to look into our spiritual mirror?When we look into our spiritual mirrors, we should be looking at the person God has created us to be and not at our own perceived limitations. By looking at our limitations, we are essentially saying, “God. What you created is imperfect.”

Genesis 1:26 (NKJV) says, “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…”

God has created us to be fearfully and wonderfully made. Yes, we are imperfect human beings, but we serve a perfect and loving Father who longs for us to recognize that we are His children. We are the Lord’s masterpieces on Earth, and nothing, not even our perceived limitations, can change that.

2). Focus on Your Strengths, Not Your Limitations

One major problem for me is that I tend to focus more on my limitations and less on my strengths, but it’s thanks to continually reading the Bible that I’m learning to focus more on my strengths and less on my limitations.If God hasn’t said no, then we should stop telling ourselves No. We, as Christians, need to start taking a picture of who we really are.Even in the Bible, there are instances where people have focused heavily on their limitations that it has prevented them from seeing their strengths.Going back to Moses, for instance, despite him focusing on his inability to speak properly; he never realized that underneath all of the limitations he placed on himself; he had tremendous leadership capabilities and became the nation of Israel’s first leaders along with giving them the 10 Commandments.

Exodus 14:21-22 (NKJV) says, “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.”

His limitations did not hinder Moses’s leadership abilities, and he learned to put his trust and faith in God, and he led the people of Israel through the Red Sea.Why don’t we do the same? As children of God, we all have been given gifts and talents, but we are so used to listening to our limitations that we fail to recognize and focus on our strengths.

3). Choose to Rely on God and Not Our Own Strength

We’ve all heard this saying about relying on God in our time of trials. What about relying on God when we have limitations or barriers in our life.

What barriers are keeping us from relying on God?

I have come to realize that relying on God is a lot harder than it seems. Relying on God means the more I take a step, the more confident I become through Him.Whatever limitation or barrier that is in front of us, maybe it’s there because we haven’t first come to rely on God.What is God trying to teach me?One lesson I’m coming to learn is that I can’t stop relying on God before He tries to teach me. We can’t overcome our limitations by ourselves. We have to begin to rely on God, not as a crutch but as a partner, a friend, or a guide helping us along our path.As human beings, even as Christians, we need to learn to work with God, not against Him.

Mark 10:27 (NKJV) says, “27. But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

The limitations that we face in life are there to build us up, not tear us down. If the limitations knock us down, learn to give them all to the Lord.

In conclusion, Whatever limitations we as human beings may face in life, it is nothing compared to the love, grace, and mercy of our Lord. Never let your limitations and your own insecurities get in the way of what God is calling you to do because when we do, it will only keep us down and out of the spiritual fight. Learn to give your limits to the One who can help you overcome them.