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“Nothing Beyond Our Capabilities”
Categories: Daily LivingNothing Beyond Our Capabilities
Jarrod Jacobs
Sometimes people think they know their capabilities better than God does. This is seen in those who will refuse to obey God, saying that they are not “able” to do what God says. What we need to understand is that God does not command us to do anything that is impossible for us to do.
In Exodus 4:10, God told Moses to go to Egypt and tell Pharaoh to let His people go. He said this because He knew Moses could do this. Moses responded by saying, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech, and of tongue.” Moses had the attitude of those today who think that they are not capable of doing what God said to do. As a result, Moses angered God (Ex. 4:14).
When God called Jeremiah to be a prophet, Jeremiah thought that he was too young. God told him in Jeremiah 1:7-8, “Do not say I am only a youth: for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the LORD.” God does not ask us to do anything beyond our capabilities!
In Matthew 25:14-30, we read about the parable of the talents. Remember that when the man had called his servants to him, he gave one servant five talents, one two talents, and the third servant, one talent. We find that while the man was gone, the first two servants made good use of their talents, gaining double their money. The third one did nothing with the money, but gave it back to his master untouched. This man was cast into outer darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth. His money was then given to the servant who had ten talents.
Why did this happen? Was this man punished because he had less than the others and was not able to do exactly what they did? No. He was punished because he had the ability to do something with that money and refused to do it!
The spiritual application for us is that we may not be able to do what “so and so” does, but we do have abilities and must be about using them! God expects us to be useful in His kingdom by obeying all His commands (Jn. 14:15)! We dare not say we are not capable of obeying God.
Not only does God not command us to do any more than we are capable of doing, but He also will not allow our temptations and struggles to be greater than we can bear. Paul wrote, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted above beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (I Cor. 10:13).
God is concerned about the well-being of mankind. God’s word is given to us so that we might know His will and go to Heaven. He does not command us to do anything that is beyond the grasp of our physical or mental abilities (II Tim. 3:16-17; I Pet. 4:11; Phil. 4:9).
