Praise for
Unlimiting God
God has granted Richard a unique and compelling message for Gods people today. Everywhere he has shared it, people have responded enthusiastically. This book will motivate many people to long for and to pursue a deeper walk with God.
H ENRY B LACKABY
Richard Blackaby brings this subject to the front burner to help us understand that it is an ordinary truth extraordinarily ignored! Dwelling on this message brings with it a special freedom!
J. O TIS L EDBETTER , Senior Pastor, Sonrise Church of Clovis, CA, author and conference speaker
Richard Blackaby blends self-deprecating humor, flashes of introspection, and theological truth as he leads us to a fresh understanding of the power of God. The message is relevant, challenging, and inspirational.
A NDREW W ESTMORELAND , President, Samford University
To my father, Henry Blackaby,
the greatest man of God I have ever known .
C ONTENTS
THE PROBLEM IS NEVER WITH GOD
F or the past several years, our family has spent the last weekend in August at my brother-in-law Jims home in Taber, Alberta, Canada. Taber is famous for its bumper crop of succulent corn. Every year the small town hosts Cornfest to celebrate the harvest. The festivities include a carnival, outdoor concerts, a craft fair, and fireworks, plus 5k and 10k runs.
Five years ago my daughter Carrie decided she wanted to join the rest of the family on the run. Carrie is a marvelous ice skater, but shed never participated in a formal footrace before. I decided the fatherly thing to do was to let her run with me. In my younger days, my keen competitive instincts would have steered me clear of any impediment that might hinder my chances at a medal. But after undergoing decades of Gods teaching me lifes true priorities, having gained much wisdom in my middle age, and having put on fifty pounds since my university days, I decided to forgo any chance of finishing near the top. I offered to run with my little daughter.
Carrie, knowing her dads competitive nature, demanded assurance that I wouldnt abandon her in the heat of the race. I promised her I was running only for enjoyment and it would be great fun to accompany herregardless of where we placed. In fact, I said, anytime she wanted to stop running and start walking to catch her breath, Id happily comply.
The starting gun fired. My wife and two sons were among the keeners at the front of the pack, and they quickly disappeared from sight around the first bend.
As my daughter and I loped along at an easy pace on that beautiful morning, I joked with her and encouraged her.
After only two blocks, Carrie wanted to slow to a walk. It seemed a little early for our first rest break, but I told her that was fine by me. Dozens of young people whizzed past us as we leisurely walked along enjoying the morning air.
After a few minutes I asked Carrie if she was ready to try running again. She was. But after only a few more blocks, she asked to walk again. No problem. Young adults were streaming by. Then middle-aged people began passing us. Some older women were overtaking us at a brisk walk.
That was too much. I will NOT lose to THEM! I wheezed.
I exhorted my weary daughter to dig a little deeper so we could push forward. We ran, but soon she was complaining that her side hurt. I reluctantly agreed to walk again. In this pattern, our race continued.
Then it happened. I heard them coming. I was surprised anyone was still behind us, but sure enough, a middle-aged woman pushing her elderly mother in a wheelchair serenely glided past, leaving us to eat their dust.
That was too much. I will NOT lose to THEM! I wheezed. Ive got my limits!
We staggered off at a trot. I could just make out the finish line on the horizon. My legs were aching. My breath was coming in short, painful gasps. But we were slowly gaining on the wheelchair.
Then Carrie, too, noticed the crowds cheering and waving at the finish line in the distance. Suddenly she underwent a metamorphosis. The hesitant little girl Id been tenderly coaxing throughout the race immediately found her second wind. She accelerated rapidly. The lights had come on. She was possessed.
Carrie torpedoed past the wheelchair, her eye on the prize.
I tried to keep up, but there were only fumes left in my tank. I made a heroic last effort, barely edging out the octogenarian and her daughter before crossing the tape.
Carrie waited for me at the finish line with a water bottle and a handful of fruit. She wasnt even winded.
Later that day, we were met with a huge surprise. At the awards ceremony, Carrie received a beautiful first-place medal for her age category. (They handed out oxygen masks for mine.) Im so glad Carrie grew dissatisfied with her performance, even though she had no idea a prize was waiting for her just around the corner.
Carrie has since won another medal, and as I write this, shes training for a 10k race coming up soon.
Whats my point? My daughter always had the ability to be a medal-winning runner, but shed set the limit for herself far below her capacity. She might have been satisfied to remain there too, had I not finally urged her to push on to another level.
The Bible describes the Christian life as a race (1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Philippians 3:12-14; 2 Timothy 4:7). This Christian race is one in which every participant has an equal opportunity to be spectacularly successful. It all depends on how much the person wants to succeed.
The apostle Paul claimed he ran lifes race to win the prize (1 Corinthians 9:24). Unfortunately, many Christians set their sights far too low. Theyre satisfied to plod along in dreary, unrewarding spirituality, unwilling to pay the price for greater spiritual accomplishments. They may be comfortable, but theyre not experiencing nearly as much as they could. Theyve inadvertently chosen to limit their experience of God.
Heres another picture. God invites His people to a richer experience: Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3). Almighty, infinite, all-knowing God welcomes people to come to Him and to allow Him to reveal things from His heart and mind that would amaze them. Yet when was the last time you learned something brand-new from God that was great and mighty? Many Christians today receive this enormous invitation, and yet we rarely experience a fresh, dynamic encounter with God. Its not that the Lord isnt willing to reveal more exciting truths to us; we limit our own capacity to receive more from Him.
The problem is never with God. The obstacle is us. Were far too easily satisfied. We limit God in our lives.
God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20). Have you seen Him do things in and through your life that absolutely amaze you in their magnitude? If you havent, why is that? After all, the Bible says God wants you to experience this.
