You're Not Able

I was recently talking with a friend who has a special needs child. In the last year, they have also decided to foster another special needs child who is 19 years old biologically, but not as old emotionally and psychologically. This young woman has been bounced around the foster system because few people are equipped to help her as she needs. She has been repeatedly told, "You can't, you're not able, you're not smart enough, you're disabled, someone else ... someone more capable ... must do that for you." Not surprisingly, she has come to believe what she has been repeatedly told about herself. My friend and his wife are committed to the slow process of showing her she's capable of so much more, that she doesn't need to use the "disabled" label to excuse her from flourishing as she's capable. They know this will take years and the Lord's longsuffering to be manifest in their lives.

I believe that too often in the recent history of the Western church, the same thing has occurred. Followers of Jesus have been told that they can't, they aren't able, and that someone better than they are must do it for them - the missionaries, the pastors, and maybe a few elders ... they are the ones who can do ministry, and must do it for you, because quite frankly, you don't have the training or maturity. You've been a believer for 19 years, but you're not able to perform at that level, so we'll do it for you. And not surprisingly, the Christ followers have believed to some degree what they have been told about themselves and have adopted the "spiritually disabled" label as an excuse to not engage in the ministry of the Gospel.

Just as it will take this young woman time to believe something new about herself, the same is true for any Christ follower who has bought into these untruths about himself or herself. My friend can't just tell their foster child, "You're capable" and expect her to suddenly change her self identity. Likewise, friends and church leaders can't just write an article or teach a class or preach a sermon to say, "You're capable" and expect an errant self identity to change. Patience is required to "unbelieve" a long-held untruth.

Have you been told that you are not capable, and that you need "more capable" people handle the church's mission for you? Have you bought into that untruth, even a little? Remember that the power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in you, and that Christ is our sufficiency and qualificiation. And then embrace that it may take a while for you to shake these untruths. Look forward and see that our self-identity can change toward the truth that we are not disabled, but enabled by the Holy Spirit. And have patience for others as they embrace the same truth about themselves.