What is possible

I have started using a companion reader with my scriptures, "Verse by Verse The Book of Mormon". As I was reading the companion book I came upon a quote that got me thinking. President Ogden said, "...can't is a denial of the Holy Ghost. With God all things are possible." We are taught this in the scriptures. Like in Philippians 4:13 it says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." But even though we are taught this how many of us believe it? How many of us exercise faith in this principle? How many of us try it or test it to see if it is true?

I have spent so much of my life telling myself what I can't do that I feel trapped and boxed in. I know I have talked about this before but it has been a big issue in my forward progression and I feel the need to speak it on it again. I can't has been a major road block in my work in obtaining my dreams and living the life that I really want. I can't has left me with the choices of completely giving up or settling for less than what I truly desire. I can't has caused me to miss out on so many opportunities. I have wasted too much of my life on I can't.

I am left to wonder how much of the possibilities of my life have been wasted away on these two little words. Two words that seem so small and insignificant and yet they have such a devastating effect on life. The saddest part is that I can't has no power over me unless I choose. It is only when I choose to say "I can't" that I then give up or settle. The reality is that within the realm of what I know to be right and true, there is always something that I can do.

I say this because there are certain unalienable truths, which cannot be taken away or denied. The truth is I can't is really I don't want to or I don't think I can. There are so many things that I don't want to do but I am fully capable of doing. There is so much that I want to do but I am scared that I am not capable of doing them. And for every time that I say I can't, how often am I left feeling unsatisfied?

I believe the truth to be this. I have dreams and goals. On the way to achieving them I come across many things that I don't want to do. Every time I skirt around them I find myself going in a direction that is further away from my dream. I also come across things that I am scared I am not qualified or accomplished enough to do. I feel that I am lacking in some way and do not feel capable of doing it. I have told myself that I can't and so I give a halfhearted effort or don't try at all. Because of this I find myself further away from what I really want. It is at this point of feeling disappointed and empty that I look around and see what I will settle for to try and fill the void of what not going for the dream has left.

I want to clarify something. When I refer to "don't want to" I am not referring to things that are wrong. As in the ends justify the means. In the sphere of what is right there are things that I don't feel like doing even though I know it will get me what I want. I want to have it without the work. For instance; I want great health but I don't want to exercise or give any thought to eating habits or I want a clean house but I don't want to do my chores. You know what I mean.

I think that there is a part of me that thinks, "I am not worthy of what God says I can have or capable of being what God says I am." Because if I could see myself as God sees me, why would I ever settle for anything less than what He says is true or what He offers. If I really believed that all things are possible with God, settling or giving up would never be a consideration. I would always know that everything would work out, that I would always make the goal. I would also understand that the times I didn't succeed wouldn't be because it wasn't true. I would know it's because God has a greater vision for me than I have for myself and the times something didn't work out would only mean that God was preparing me for something greater. In these instances I wouldn't succumb to the depression of defeat but rather I would be able to keep pressing forward knowing that God was giving me something better.

These are the pondering I have had since reading this quote. I wanted to share them with you because I know that they are divinely inspired. I know it is heavenly inspiration to teach me what is possible if I exercise a little faith in the choices I am making. If I can believe enough long enough I will see the fruits of my labor through the ability to reach my dreams rather than settle or give up on them. And rather than succumbing to defeat when things don't go as plan, I can pick myself up and smile as I move forward knowing that it is only because God is giving me something better. Something that if I had known about it I would have picked it in the first place.

I know it can be a daunting task to believe when all the evidence seems contrary to what you are hoping, but it is at these times especially that you must believe with all of your heart, mind, and strength. Believe as much as you are capable of and then go past that. It is in this moment of stretching beyond what you think you can do when God sends angels and miracles happen.

I will share more about this subject in another article. I don't want to overwhelm you with too much and this has already gotten to be very long as it is. Take some time to ponder on what I have shared and see if any of it rings true for you. See if there is something that can benefit you as you move towards your own dreams. God bless you on your journey and may you be successful.