“I can’t do it.”  You might hear that quite often from younger children. Sometimes it is legitimate; sometimes not so. Sometimes it is a cop out; sometimes it is an honest statement and cry for help. I’m not sure where I read it, but it has been suggested that instead of “I can’t” the person really means “I won’t.” In fact, as an experiment it is recommended to replace “I can’t” with “I won’t.”

There are legitimate times “I can’t” is valid. All things mechanical in a car has me yelling “Uncle!” pretty quickly.  (See my clever use of another word there instead of “I can’t?”) But, admittedly, I do say, “I can’t” a little too quickly.

Two passages of Scripture come to mind when I think of this: one is a story. It is found in Judges 6:11-18. An angel comes to Gideon and calls him a “mighty man of valor.” That is laughable because at that moment he’s threshing grain indoors out of fear of the Midianites, the very people God is calling him to defeat. When Gideon says, “I can’t,” God says, “I can.” With an army of 300 Gideon defeats the Midianites-a feat which was definitely against all odds.

The other passage is found in Ephesians 3: 20-21- “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly that all that we ask or think…” God just takes the “I can’t” and throws it right out the window with this statement by Paul. Again, when I say, “I can’t,” God says, “I can and so will you.” Listen to those words again: “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly…”

“Father, help me to remember that with You all things are possible. Help me not to write off Your work and power too quickly. Help me to remember You can.”