But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (ESV)
In the Old Testament of the Bible, Mephibosheth who was the son of Jonathan (King Saul’s son) was crippled in both feet however, he ended up dining with King David for the rest of his life. The point I would like to make is that despite a disability, one can still be useful and used by God if they are willing, to impact His world for the better.
Today there are many disabilities and/or perhaps shortcomings some may have to endure in life. And as they deal with those challenges, they may feel no longer useful to anyone, and most importantly, they do not feel useful to God. However, despite the condition or situation, they can still be a blessing to others.
If anyone is living with a disability or a significant life challenge, I pray you will be willing to share your testimony about the struggles you face with others. In doing so, this can greatly encourage those who are going through similar challenges as well as those who are not. By sharing the strength and motivation you have gained from God with others, you are helping those individuals to be encouraged to continue moving forward in life, despite any obstacles. We all need to remember that regardless of any disability or shortcomings, we all are God’s sons and daughters. We must realize we are useful not only for His ministry but for His kingdom as well.
In the New Testament, (2 Cor. 12:7) Paul asked God three times to remove “this thorn in the flesh” (as stated in some translations) from him however, in response, God never removed it. Instead, He told him to keep going and that His grace would be sufficient. Here in these verses, the “thorn” may or may not have been a physical limitation; it could have been a mental, emotional, or spiritual limitation. So, when we speak on disabilities or shortcomings, we need not always think it is physical and it only pertains to certain individuals. All of us may experience various challenges whether it is a permanent, or short-term situation. However, just because we have our “thorn” does not mean we cannot move out and still use the gifts and talents God has given to us, to impact this world for the better.
Does that mean life will be easy and there will be no challenges? Not at all. We all will have good days and bad. We all will feel down and like we cannot go on. I’m sure all of the people listed in the Bible had good and bad days as well. But the secret for them, as well as for us, is that we cannot allow ourselves to stay down. That we seek to get the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual strength we need, then move forward and seek to be a blessing to others.
Now there will be times when we are not fully “healed” or feel we have the strength and/or capacity to move forward. However, just like God told Paul, my strength is sufficient for you, we too can hold fast to this promise from God. And with this assurance, despite our “feelings”, we can still move forward knowing God will handle any and all situations and, will carry us through.
As you move forward in faith despite your limitations, you are a living testimony to others. They will see what you have accomplished and what you are continuing to do with love in your heart, and a smile on your face. Living your life in this way will be more effective than the most powerful sermon ever preached. It will show a life well lived with God, despite the challenges and difficulties that you must endure.
May none of us allow the disabilities, the circumstances, or the challenges we face in this life, hold us back from being a shining beacon of light. May we always seek to shine for God, His people, and His world.
Blessings,
Angélique
To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com
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