5 Reasons WHY YOU CAN'T ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING NEW!

Part 1 of 2 on Becoming a life-long learner

What is it that you want?  What are the goals in life and in ministry that you have?

 

Galatians 5: 7-10

7-10You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting you from the true course of obedience? This detour doesn't come from the One who called you into the race in the first place. And please don't toss this off as insignificant. It only takes a minute amount of yeast, you know, to permeate an entire loaf of bread. Deep down, the Master has given me confidence that you will not defect. But the one who is upsetting you, whoever he is, will bear the divine judgment.

 

5 Things that will immobilize you and stop the learning flow:

1. Pride - Just because you're the leader doesn't mean that you are the expert on everything.

2. Fear - Fear can be a great motivator, but it can also rob you of incredible joy.

3. The Familiar - Unlearning old habits can be one of the biggest hinderances.

How many churches have stopped dead in their tracks (literally) because of past ways of doing things? 

4. Pain/Discomfort - Have you considered that in sports, they always cover the "highlights" of football, baseball, basketball.  Fishing doesn't tend to make the sports highlight reels.  They don't cover the hundreds of hours that athletes are in the gym, watching game film, doing all the unpopular things to better themselves.

5. Doubt - Outside your comfort zone  - We start to doubt and then think, "maybe this just isn't God's will".  I think God gets blamed many times for our lack of follow-through and doubts.  Erwin McManus once said "life doesn't just work out, we work life out."

 

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

 

Testimony - Mona Christensen, Green Bay, WI

The biggest hindrance? Fear of making a mistake and sounding terrible that could become a distraction of others worship experience. I dealt with this first hand as I gained confidence to improvise on my flute. I am classically trained and was scared to death to play without the page on my stand. Others around me were incredible players and there was no way I could reach their level. Then God moved us out to a small church with no funds for arranged parts. God did a miracle. I could always hear the music lines and now I play with only the key and no written music. God gives me melodies, counter melodies. I hear the music a split second before I play it and it is so beautiful. I am amazed by God's faithfulness. I can't reproduce the exact same melodies from one time to the next. It is truly playing in the Spirit for that time. I am blown away by the miracle God has done in my life.

In my line of work at the University I see this all the time...many classically trained players have 'perfect problems'. Especially in music (but many times in other areas of their lives), they think everything has to be perfectly aligned...I am so grateful we were placed in a church where we were given the permission and the grace to experiment. Where I am now in my playing is light years improved over where I was when I was first given the grace to try it 5 years ago. (I must add that I didn't just 'start playing'...I started playing along with worship CD's (IHOP especially -- those charts are so free-flowing anyway; it was a perfect way to jump in without sounding totally off.) Now, I'm in a place where there are melodies in my head all the time, and I can just pick up my flute and play them. Seriously...God did a miracle!

 

Perfect problems - what a great picture!  Thanks Mona.  Do you have perfect problems.

 

Here is the final takeaway:  Start somewhere!  If it has to be perfect, you are putting the lid of limitation on your life.

 

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