We all do – this is a given. We limit God by not going to Him with everything. We limit Him by our lack of faith that He’d ‘do it for me’, even though we quote the scripture that God is no respecter of people, that there is no partiality with God. We just eliminate ourselves from the ‘everyone’ classification.
Too often though we don’t carry this thought through. If we are limiting God and what He can/will do in the situation we also are limiting ourselves. Yes! One of the scriptures that’s been a kind of hallmark for me is found in Ephesians: “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (2:10) With this mindset then we should not limit what God is wanting to do for and through us.
This also means that we can’t compare what God is doing in others with what He’s doing in us. It’s critical to merge the concepts of no partiality and created for good works. There’s also another important scripture related to this discussion. In 1 Corinthians Paul talks about the fact that simply because we aren’t a (fill in the blank) we can’t say that there’s no need. (1Corinthians 12). Verse 18 states unequivocally that “God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.”
What we need to do about limiting God is before we utter the word ‘can’t’ make sure we aren’t meaning ‘we won’t’. Sometimes it’s fear that stops us, sometimes insecurity but every time we limit ourselves unnecessarily we limit God. Is His arm too short? Is He not looking to and fro to see who He can be strong on their behalf? Will He not perform His word? Remember – “If God be for us, who can be against us?” God doesn’t limit – why should you?
