Written By: Ashley Elliott

At what age are we at our peak? There is an age when we perhaps stop growing in height but is there an age we hit where our skills have maxed out? In case it isn’t obvious, this is a rhetorical question.

How often do we allow ourselves to fall into the trap of “oh that’s not me” or “I could never.” 

I imagine what my response would be to my children if they tried that answer in a scenario at home. As a parent, have you ever encouraged your kids with a “why not” attitude or a positive “well give it a try, sweetie”? As we get older and we start molding our personalities and searching for our passions we inherently develop our strengths and weaknesses; we grow and learn and change and elaborate and revise … and somewhere along the line we put ourselves in a comfortable box. This is me, I am who I am, take it or leave it. 

What would our heavenly Father’s response be to that context? When we pray are we seeking encouragement and strength or are we asking for fewer problems and better timing? 

What do you find yourself putting at the end of “Oh, I could never…”

  • lose weight
  • be creative 
  • handle another kid
  • keep in touch
  • speak in front of a group
  • go back to school
  • travel with the kids alone
  • wake up early
  • run a marathon
  • take my kids out to dinner
  • be on-time
  • lead a group
  • go back to work
  • quit my job
  • invite a neighbor to dinner

“That is so not me! Nope, not in my DNA. Maybe in another lifetime.”

We are never too mature for a season of blooming. You may not be in that season right now, but seek to embrace that season when it is approaching. Say yes to things that are hard, stretch a new muscle, try on a different hat, pick a new favorite, develop an admired skill. You are not a stagnant pond but an ever growing and flowing river. How beautiful is it that God created us to be curious, and brave, and adaptable; nothing is more unique than our ability to learn and adapt. 

Have you placed yourself in a box? There is going to come a time when your box doesn’t fit what is going on around you – like the time I met my husband: “I could never marry into the military.” Or the time I found out I was pregnant with my first child: “I can’t have a child right now!” Or the time I had to move to a new neighborhood: “I can’t live there, that way of life is not me.” 

Can you think of a time where something was coming at you and you didn’t feel as though your ducks were in a row? Can you think of a time when you turned away from a challenge or avoided something that was uncomfortable? What are you stopping yourself from when you put up these protective barriers? What voice is coaching you?

Imagine if Noah would have said, “No thanks, building arks isn’t my thing.” Or if Mary said, “I can’t have a child right now! That’s not for me.” Or if David said, “I could never stand up to anyone. I’m a shepherd, I herd sheep.” God doesn’t hand over a character description when we are born, but rather He develops us. Through following some superstars in the bible we can clearly see that you just can’t stay the same and learn. To learn you must leave your safety zone, and, yes acquire some risk. 

Think of how uncomfortable Moses must have been when he was called to go back to Egypt. Moses surely had doubts and questions and even pleaded “Lord, please! Send anyone else.” (Exodus 4:13) But instead of sinking into the “I can’t”s he leaned on God.      

As you turn to your kid(s) and encourage them to flourish, remember that as a child of God you too are being encouraged by an even greater love; so charge over some discomforts and through some comforts of your present to receive God’s blessings to the fullest. Do not be afraid when you are being obedient in your faith to take risks because you will never outgrow growth. We are perennial flowers in God’s garden and though we have seasons of being dormant, we continue to grow year after year.

In my previous blog posts I pointed you toward setting goals for yourself and searching for your passions. Now I want to conclude by reminding you that development doesn’t stop. Find some “I would never”s in your life and tackle them with diligence. Look further into the “I just can’t handle this” and know that you are being strengthened through Christ. Even further, ask Christ what lies are behind those “I can’t handle this” moments, and ask Him to reveal the truth behind those lies.

Isaiah 54: 2-3 (a good one to bookmark) – “Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left; your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.”

Comment below with your top “Oh, I could never….” response.

Written By: Ashley Elliott