Maybe You Can't Do It...But, God Can!

Frustrated? It may be because you're trying to make something happen that only God can make happen.

Whenever you are doing what God has called you to do, it is important to rely on His strength, His grace, and His power to complete your task. You will become frustrated if you try to make things happen on your own strength instead of relying on God. God is the author and finisher of His plans (Hebrews 12:2), and you must not try to take the place of God if you expect things to work out.

In Colossians 1:26-27, Paul reveals a mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations... Christ in you, the hope of glory. In other words, there is something that people of the past didn't know—it was hidden from them, a mystery to them—but Paul is now revealing that mystery to us: Christ lives in all who believe in Him! No longer is God just with his people—God now lives in his people! In Him we live and move and have our being!!! (Acts 17:28)

Also, note that it is Christ in you that's the hope of glory—not Christ and you.

Paul then continues by saying that he labors and works for the gospel, but all of his labor is really done by Christ's power, which so powerfully works in [him] (Colossians 1:29).

If you're trying to labor without Christ's power at work within you, then your labor will be frustrating and in vain. You need to stop trying, and start dying to self so that you may be alive to Christ's power. It's hard to imagine that killing the flesh with it's love of lying, gossiping, cursing, cheating, manipulating, and controlling, will in essence bring about a victory in the area you desire. But, it will. God honors dying to ourselves and becoming alive to Him. He honors it by increasing the ability of the Holy Spirit to work and move through you! His power can increase as you decrease the power of the enemy in your life.

Struggle and frustration occur when you try to do God's job by your own strength—rather than relying on Christ's strength, which is at work in you. And, you can increase Christ's strength in you by submitting to Him and His word.

If God took you to it, He'll get you through it.

Exodus 14 records the story of how the Hebrews escaped from bondage and slavery in Egypt. On their way out of Egypt, they camped in the desert near the Red Sea. They thought God was leading them out of Egypt. However, Pharaoh led the Egyptian army to where the Israelites were, and he trapped them against the sea. The Israelites must have felt betrayed by God, for it looked as though he didn't follow through on his plan to lead the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt. But God was faithful to his word -- he didn't let his people down. He led them through the Red Sea and delivered on his promises.

You have probably faced times when you thought that you could never do something, never complete a particular task, or never make it to the finish. However, if God has promised you something, then you can be confident that God will get you through the difficult times in order to bring about his promise.

This is true in Joseph's life. God took him through years of pain and suffering for an ultimate benefit; Joseph realizes this and, in Genesis 50:20, says, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." God had a bigger plan for Joseph's life, and God didn't let him down. God led Joseph through his struggles.

This principle is also true in your life. Even though you may be going through extremely painful times, do not fear for God will get you through the hard times you face (see Psalm 23:4). If God took you to it, He'll get you through it.

As I journey on my road of spiritual growth I find that I don't need to see the end result of a thing, a goal, or a desire, as much as I once needed to, because as long as I am walking my road with Him then as He lives in Me I move forward and what I am becoming is what I always dreamed of being. In Him we Live and Move and have our Being! (Acts 17:28) All of a sudden what I couldn't do by my own power, or by employing anyone else's power, God can do by His power and what He does lasts and is of eternal value to the Kingdom of God!