It seems strange that anyone should build barriers in his own way and lay
hindrances in his own path. But that is just what many people are doing.
They wish to accomplish something; they desire to do something for the
Lord; but some way they find themselves always hindered. They look back
upon their lives, and see that they have done very little. How many times
they have desired to be as useful as others! But someway, somehow, they
were not.
The greatest hindrances to our success are often found within ourselves.
We build up walls between ourselves and usefulness, and then lament
because we can not surmount them. We look over the wall and long to be
there, while all the time we are placing new stones upon the wall and
building it higher and higher.
One of the greatest of these barriers is “I can’t.” How many people have
built up this wall before themselves! They see work to be done, they see
plenty of opportunities for doing effective service, but they distrust
their ability. Or sometimes they are not willing to do their duty, and
they begin at once to build a barrier of “I can’t” between themselves and
their opportunity. Oh yes, it ought to be done, and they would like to do
it, but there is that wall in the way. They would gladly do the work if
they were over the wall, but it is too high, so the work must remain
undone. This barrier is very easy to build, but hard to surmount. The
reason it is hard to surmount is because the person is not willing to try.
No one knows what he can do until he tries. “I can’t” shuts out God’s help
completely. It leaves no room for the operation of faith; it increases
weakness. The more you say, “I can’t,” the weaker you will feel; and the
weaker you feel, the less courage you will have to attempt anything. It is
certain that we can not do anything if we do not try. It is certain that
we can succeed in doing whatever God wants us to do. He has said, “My
grace is sufficient”; has he spoken truly? He says, “I will help thee”;
does he mean it? If he does, you will not fail if you do your part. The
trouble is, you do not give him a chance to help. When the opportunity
comes and the Spirit moves you to act, you draw back behind the wall of “I
can’t,” and do nothing. Have you not had many chastisements because of
doing thus? Have you not missed many blessings? has not work gone undone,
and have not opportunities remained unused?
Paul had no place for this barrier in his life. He was a man who did
things. He believed that God would help him in all he undertook. “I can’t”
had no place in his life. He said, “I can do all things through Christ,
which strengtheneth me.” What you need is to quit saying, “I can’t,” and
begin believing God. Throw down this self-made barrier; quit looking at
your weakness; look at God’s strength. Dare to do, dare to act, and you
will succeed beyond your expectations.
“I am afraid” is almost as common a barrier as “I can’t.” How many people
shrink from duty, saying: “I am afraid I will make a mistake. I am afraid
I shall not do it right.” They let this fear become a great wall before
them; they pile fear upon fear; and as they look at them, their fears
constantly grow greater. Soon they come to a place where these fears hedge
them in till they dare not attempt anything. Do you remember the man who
said, “I was afraid,” and went and hid his lord’s talent in the earth?
Read his story in Matt. 25: 24-30. See what his lord said to him, and note
the result of his conduct. Are you doing the same thing? If so, what will
be the result in your case? Fear will tie your hands if you allow it; it
will make you a profitless servant.
“I don’t know how” is a third barrier. Have you hidden from duty behind
this wall? Is this your answer to God when he tells you to do something?
The Bible says that “Christ is made unto us wisdom.” Again, it says, “If
any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God.” If God gives you a task to
perform, he will give you the wisdom to do it as he wishes to have it
done. Possibly you do not know how, but God knows, and if you try,
understanding will be given you. If you seek wisdom from him, he will not
fail to give it. If we always knew how to do things, we should not need
God’s help to show us; but as it is, we must often dare to undertake what
he wants us to do in his wisdom and in his strength, no matter whether we
can see the outcome or not. God wants us to rely on him, and to go ahead
in his strength.
“I am not sure” is another barrier. It is well to know God’s will
definitely, but many times people want to be so very sure that God has no
way of making them feel sure. They do not take the assurance that he
gives; they want something more. Reason and good judgment tell them to go
ahead, but they build up the barrier “I am not sure,” and hide from duty
behind it. We ought not to decide hastily or rashly, but we ought to
decide, and then act upon our decision. One may cultivate the habit of
indecision until his usefulness is greatly hindered, and he is constantly
tortured wondering what he ought to do. It would be better to make a few
mistakes than to let indecision hold us back from everything.
“They will think” is still another self-made barrier. The fear of being
misunderstood or having remarks made about them is some people’s greatest
hindrance. “They will think I want to push myself ahead”; “They will think
some one else ought to do it”; they will think this, or they will think
that, and so fear of what people will say closes the mouth and ties the
hands, rendering life fruitless. The thing that ought to concern us is,
“What will God think if we do not do it?” It is to him we must give
account. It is his approval we should seek. If he approves, what others
think is a small matter. Are we not willing to be misunderstood for Jesus’
sake?
Let us cease to build these barriers before us. Let us throw down what we
have built. Let us decide we will not be held back from duty by our fears.
Let us go forward in the strength that God will give. Let us trust more in
God, and be confident that he will not fail us. Have you not read that the
“man of God” was to be thoroughly furnished unto every good work? If you
would pay more heed to getting your furnishings than you do to your fears,
you might become far more fruitful. Thus, you would be more happy here and
reap a greater reward hereafter.