“A woman, a Samaritan, came to draw water. Jesus said “would you give me a drink of water?” (His disciples had gone to the village to buy food for lunch). The Samaritan woman, taken aback, asked “how come you, a Jew, are asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (Jews in those days wouldn’t be caught dead talking to Samaritans).
Jesus answered, “if you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink and I would give you fresh, living water.” John 4:7-8

Have you ever found yourself, like this Samaritan woman, totally floored by what God seems to be asking of you?
Jesus, you want me to forgive that person?
You want me to not only forgive them, but give them another chance?
You want me to talk to my colleague who is angry at the world, about you?
You want me to step up and lead a team at church?
You want me to give ten per cent of my income to your house?
You want me to raise these kids to be functional, kind, contributing adults, when I can’t even find their shoes?

Seriously, where do the tiny shoes GO?!

Often, when God asks us for something, we see only our limitations. We confront his gentle promptings with a list of reasons why we can’t possible do what he is asking.
I am too poor.
I am too busy.
I am too shy.
I am too angry.
I am afraid.
Basically, we turn around to God and say “sorry, you’ve got the wrong person!”
And you know what, when I have these conversations with God, if the conversation stopped with me, this would be a really discouraging sermon, because essentially, I would be right:
I am not adequate to fulfil what God is asking of me!
None of us are.

The truth is, what he has called each of us to is far greater than our capacity.

Luckily, the conversation does NOT stop with me and my inadequacy.
Just like he turned to the Samaritan woman, Jesus turns to each of us when we are overwhelmed and says:
“It’s not about who you are. It’s all about who I am.”
And, like always, Jesus is right. It is ALL about who he is.
Our limitations are no match for Him.
John 10:10
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Our limitations are no match for the abundance that he brings. The easiest way that the thief, our enemy can rob you of your capacity, is to convince you that it comes from within yourself.

Have you ever turned up to a dinner party and forgotten to bring something to share?
I don’t know about you, maybe I’m a bit neurotic, but this scenario is a source of major anxiety for me.
Chances are, the host has over-catered and everyone else brought something too and so there will be more than enough.
Am I focused on the fact that I didn’t NEED to show up with something?
Am I focused on the fact that there is already an abundance at that table?
No. I am preoccupied with the way I think I have failed.
This is how we are with God when we tell him we don’t have the capacity to fulfil our calling. We are preoccupied with what we are not, and can’t see who he is.
It’s time for us to stop freaking out about what we can’t bring to the table, and get excited about the more than enough that we get to ask of him!

Written by Jen Grubb