Can You Do Anything?

Is it true that you can do anything you put your mind to?  We have all heard it and maybe all our lives.  Our parents told us so.  Our grandparents and teachers at school did too.  Then the Church told us the same exciting thing and raised our potential for possibilities.  Let's see now...what would I like to do with my life?  Maybe I'll be a brain surgeon or an astronaut?  I might even become President of the United States.  Hmmmm.... maybe an astronaut.  Who would want to be President? :)
Some of the teaching I have heard in the Church under the supposed validation of the Bible was based on Phil. 4:13 which tells us, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  That is quite different than, "I can do all things."  The word "through" in this verse is the all important word.  It implies a position of rest.  That would mean that the action of "doing" is not actually me but Christ.  In truth He strengthens me to accomplish.  He accomplishes through me as His channel.  This is much more than semantics.  This means that Christ Jesus is not looking for greatly talented people so much as available submissive people who are resting in Him.  I have heard people who began in this humble and submissive place end up believing, "I can do all things!"  There is a big difference here on many fronts.  

An important thing about the Lord using us is that most often He uses us within our God given interests, talents or abilities.  For example the Lord doesn't take people with a "C" average in high school and make brain surgeons out of them.  Could He?  Certainly!  Does He?  I don't think so.  At least I've never met one.  Even in the ministry there are pastors of churches of scores and pastors of churches of thousands.  Did one just get the breaks?  No, certainly not. Our gifts make way for us.  They create paths that we may follow.  Now, here we must introduce Lordship into the equation.  The Lordship of Jesus trumps all gifts, anointing, talents and tastes.  He is looking for willing and obedient sons and daughters who will follow Him wherever and whenever He leads.  Obedience is the most important attribute of all.  When we tie all this together we see that the ways of the Lord, working within our "God given talents" calls for obedience within our spiritual sphere.  We need to stop telling people that they can do all they set their mind to.  That is not true and they cannot!  We can do all that the Lord has called and gifted us to do within His will and Grace.  Even then, cooperation and obedience is required to rise to our full potential in the Jesus Life.  Truth be told, very few meet the full potential to which Jesus has called them.  Let's expand our horizons and increase our obedience.