Is there a more negative word? It stops all further discussion/activity. Whether it’s a ‘it’ can’t or you can’t or I can’t, a ‘can’t’ completely ends, halts, stops everything. But ‘can’t’ can be a control device to stop you from proceeding. Granted there really are can’ts in the world or at least a strong ‘you really shouldn’t’, but… is this a reasoned ‘can’t’? And how can you find out? ‘Won’t’ I can deal with but ‘can’t’….
Yet we used this word every day in our conversations. Most of our can’ts really are won’ts or don’t-wanna-so-I’ll-say can’t. Do we ever consider the impact of our can’ts? Probably not. A corollary question is: in stating our can’t are we also attempting to stop the other person from proceeding? It’s almost a … if the other person doesn’t do ‘it’ then we don’t need to feel that badly if we don’t – it assuages our guilt feelings.
If we so blithely use the word with others, how often do we use the same word with God? I wonder if He gets frustrated with our can’ts? Think about it – He tells us in His word that “… with God, all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26). However, we’ve just said that it can’t. How many times and in how many varieties of ways does He have to demonstrate that He can!? He does. He will. Telling God ‘can’t’ is telling Him you don’t believe His word, that you believe there are can’ts in the world.
Yes I realize that’s not what you mean. And yes I realize that there really are can’ts in the world but how shallow are our can’ts? We are a ‘can do’ creation and need to live this out. He’s given us the power to be a can do in a can’t world.
