Bragging rights

I noticed the other day that Google has a space in our profiles where you are asked to share your ‘bragging rights’. These are described as things you are proud to have achieved and the examples include: degrees or a leadership position or even personal life achievements such as being a hard working single mother of two toddlers. Recently I was taught about something Sam (the pastor; lol someone will get this) called divine enablement. He was basically making us aware that we are enabled to do what we are able to do through a divine intervention from God. Lord I hope that makes sense to someone. People are not born able to do all they do, it’s a decision on God’s part what he enables us to be able to do. This is why certain people he has enabled to walk and others he chose not to. I have never liked the term “crippled” and it makes more sense to me why we politely substitute it with ‘physically challenged or disabled’.

We are propelled to do certain things mainly because of our strongest impressions and convictions. Look at athletes for instance; it grows beyond just their talent or skill in that particular sport but what they are convicted about. Be it physical fitness or maintenance. There so many other examples that can follow this statement but I’m sure there’s a few you will think of. What that basically means is, we have strong impressions or convictions that move us to do certain things, think certain thoughts and react in certain ways, but all of that gets enabled divinely so by God. When we are aware that we are enabled by God, we develop an attitude of gratitude and humility that helps us to be better people. I know of many people who don’t exactly believe in this notion, who are highly successful and keep doing great things. Now, here’s where I assume we differ: they believe everyone is able to do anything they put their mind to, which is true, I on the other hand believe God enables me to be able to do anything I put my mind to do, and that there is a thick connection of his enablement between me putting my mind on doing something even excellently so and the actual doing. Side note: No swimmer has ever tried to swim up on a mountain, and no mountain climber has ever tried to climb up a pool.

 

When we are convinced of God’s enabling power we also become aware of the greatness we possess. We stop limiting ourselves and we stop being boastful and prideful. There is a difference in bragging rights and being boastful. The other day Joseph Prince made a statement that made this point even clearer: “when God’s love dwells in you, you cannot be boastful of anything but you become humble” .We all have different talents, convictions, passions and abilities but we must remember that God’s love constrains us to be who we are and do what we can (enables us to be able to do what we do) and we can then not boast (there’s a difference between bragging rights and boasting) about anything.  We cannot exercise anything we do for God (which should be everything we do really) without him enabling us.

I am divinely enabled to be able to have abilities that enable me to be able. Aitch!!!!!!!!