I was once asked what my biggest desire was? I remember at the time feeling very limited in my thoughts about the question. I sat back in the chair, and I thought for a moment, and then my response was this.... "I don't know.”
As I've shared with you, through my past blogs, you’ve learned that my main focus was on trying to please others and what they desired or atleast what I thought they desired.
This same person asked me another question - "Do you think by not having a desire that somehow you may see God in a box and limited when it comes to you?" My answer, “I’ve not been a big dreamer in my life, I’d say I’ve been a very cautious person when it comes to any kind of real risk”. She ended up our conversation with with these kind and very powerful words….
"Dayna, God isn't in a box and I wonder if it's time to kick off the lid of your limitation and begin to discover a new life of a limitless God"?
For most of my life, up until around my early 40's I lived by keeping my head down and trying my best to just blend in. For this woman to say this to me, it felt like I was being brought out into a very vulnerable place and it somehow felt very selfish to me and I didn't know what to do with the gift she was offering me. Yes! it was a gift, but inside, I seemed to know she was right, but the counsel she was giving me, made me truly scared to death, to consider the possibilities of what she offered. I’m so very thankful for Kim, she really did bring questions that began to change the way I viewed myself and God.
There's a song by the music group "Eagles" that talks about taking life to the limit, I really like the tune, but I wonder if that's kinda what I was being asked, by Kim. You see, I could take things only so far for myself in my own life, but there was always, definetly a limit. I was limited by my thinking of myself, my expectations of others and of God, himself.
I could spend alot of time on the subject of being limited believe me, because it's an inexhaustible list, but instead, let’s spend our time looking at the "God who is Unlimited".
For our start, we have to KNOW that we have a limitless God and where we get to spend our time is in not just knowing what He can do, but rather knowing who He is. Then I can know who I am and what I have as his child, to make this new life in Christ the most beneficial for myself and then turn and offer it to others.
You see, if I am always focused on others first and trying to make sure they are a success or that they think that I'm of value to them, then I may be looking at their successes to define my value. I hope your tracking with me on this because it's so important for us to see that God doesn't come up empty for us in our relationship with Him, so we are to know our true value is only found in Him, not in others and definitley not their success or ours.
I heard someone say that "we get to know Jesus first, and then sometimes we get to share about him with others". I lived alot of my life in the opposite of this quote. I thought…. I share about Jesus and then I better keep getting to spend time knowing him. You know, like more Bible reading or more devotional time. These of course are necessities for the Christian life, but I saw them as, I'd better do them or I'm not doing them enough.
I’m very thankful to have had questions asked, because I was stuck in my Christian life. I wonder…have you ever been there? Just going through the motions but not really having any real victory. Feeling like you’re running out of steam and continually running uphill.
The love for me and the willingness to ask me these questions didn’t condemn me, but rather brought me a whole new way of living freedom in Christ, that I’d never known.
We can go through very difficult times in our lives and I've had times where I wondered if God was hearing me or even interested in my struggles. But, when I began to shift off of the limitation and began to spend time with the limitless Father, my life truly began to have purpose.
Philippians 3:10a, became a strong anchor for me when I saw that my life could be lived in a very simple way by taking these 5 words and resting in His unlimited love and grace and favor.
Philippians 3:10a KJV
10 That I may know him,
I was so focused on everyone else and all their needs and what I thought were the expectations required in my life, that I was missing the One who was wanting to just be with me, share life with me, love me, limitlessly. He had everything I needed for every minute of my day.
Have you ever seen a newly married couple and the way they look at each other and the way they so desire to be together. I think this is a good picture of what God wants for his Son Jesus and his bride, (that's you and me). Let's spend time with Jesus, not because we have to but because we want to. Just like that newly married couple, He goes everywhere we do, so let's talk to him, listen to him, ask questions of him, be quiet with him. I'm continuing to learn how important it is that we go to our Bridegroom first before anyone else.
If you struggle with the concept that I’m sharing, maybe just start with this....
Jesus, I want to know you (pause)
and I'm here to just be with you. (pause)
This maybe for 1 minute or 1 hour. If you put focus on Him, you may learn something new about him today. I think we spend alot of time looking at the practical needs of our life before the intimate one.
Do you remember in the beginning of the world that God would come to the garden and walked with Adam.
Genesis 3:8a And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day,
He wanted Adam and Eve to know Him, to know His voice and to grow in their relationship with Him. God already had taken care of their practical needs.
So let's continue to get to KNOW this God who gave us His only begotten, limitless, Son.
I leave you with this passage in John.
John 14 in the Amplified version
Jesus’ Oneness with the Father
7 If you had [really] known Me, you would also have known My Father. From now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father and then we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and you do not know Me yet, Philip, nor recognize clearly who I am? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words I say to you I do not say on My own initiative or authority, but the Father, abiding continually in Me, does His works [His attesting miracles and acts of power]. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe [Me] because of the [very] works themselves [which you have witnessed]. 12 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, anyone who believes in Me [as Savior] will also do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these [in extent and outreach], because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in My name [[b]as My representative], this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified and celebrated in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name [as My representative], I will do it.
In the loving, limitless Jesus,
Dayna