Accepting your limitations isn’t giving up, it’s you trusting God

Written By Rachel Ann

Being a human can be exhausting - the more marginalized identities we have, the more stressed we may be because of the crap in this world. Even as christians who profess to know Jesus as our savior and friend, we find ourselves feeling less than hopeful, optimistic, or motivated.

And that's okay.

That may be weird to hear - “it's okay to be hopeless!” - but hear me out. When we're at the end of ourselves, we're in a perfect place to experience God in a whole new way. Yes there are things we do for ourselves and we have so many skills to share with the world, but there are also so many things we can't control and in those moments, we're at the end of ourselves.

I'm sure you can think of various things you identify with, like being anxious or stubborn, and how it's difficult to accept the limitations you have and the true end of yourself. But in that, we're reminded that we're created to be dependent on God. So I invite you to think about your anxious, frustrating, hopeless, or whatever-else-is-unpleasant thing, and do a few things…

Reflect & journal

This would be a great time to ask yourself why it’s hard to accept your limitations. What did you learn growing up about laziness? Did you ever deal with peer pressure or comparison? What makes it’s difficult to hand it over to God? Do you hate asking for help? These questions will help you figure out what’s the root of it all and from there, you can create solutions that work. Maybe it’s unlearning “laziness” or toxic theology; maybe there’s trauma associated with asking for help. Whatever the root is, know that you’re capable of figuring it out and overcoming it with God on your side.

Practice mindfulness

By being more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and body, you’ll be able to identify what your real limitations are. Instead of looking at yourself with disappointment when you don’t complete a project, you’ll be able to understand that because you’re tired you weren’t able to do it. Instead of getting mad at yourself for not advocating for yourself with your partner, you’ll see how you were so stressed that your fight, flight, freeze, or fawn kicked in. When you spend more time understanding yourself and how God created you to be, you’ll be less frustrated, more accepting of who you are, and able to problem-solve accurately. And that is a beautiful thing!

Pray this prayer

It can be hard to find the words to pray, so take a moment and say this to God:

 Hey God,

I love You and I'm at my wits end with this. I have no other choice but to give it to You.
I've used all the skills, talents, and energy You've given me to make this thing work, and yet here I am.
I'm at the end of myself, crawling to You and releasing this to You.
Show up in this thing Lord. Change whatever parts of me need to be changed, and change this situation.
I'm anxious, sad, and frustrated, and I need You in a new way.
Thank You for caring about me more than I could ever imagine.
Remind me of who You are and that Your goodness is indeed true in my life.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

 

As you pray, remind yourself of who you're releasing your anguish to - not someone who doesn't care about you, not someone who is powerless and small, but to God…the all powerful, knowing, and loving Father who is unlike any person you've ever met.

And that is so powerful, my friend.

Need more support? Lemme help you sis:

Rachel Ann
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