The apple tree in our yard is growing baby apples. They are only a little bit bigger than grapes, and the kids have been picking them just to see if they can pallet the sour taste. Hoisted in the air on their friend’s shoulders they reached up high into the tree, trying to grab some of the lowest hanging apples. At first they got a few, but as they kept trying to pick them, the apples were just out of their reach. I stood by as they jumped into the air. At first it was fun but after a few more tries they were wearing out. Teddy started to cry, thinking he wasn’t going to get an apple. When he came to the end of himself he looked to me. I could easily reach up and grab the fruit.
As I saw Teddy struggling to get an apple on his own it made me wonder where I am going it alone when it comes to my life. Am I jumping and grasping for low hanging fruit? Is my God allowing me to come to the end of myself so that I will look to Him? Am I living like I could probably accomplish everything I want to if I try hard enough? Do I trust my effort more than I trust my God?
I have a secret for you. Read this like I am whispering it into your ear…the secret to everything is found when you come to the end of yourself.
In His graciousness, we were not created to be enough, and when we come to the end of ourselves, it causes us to look elsewhere…to look to Him. In His perfect plan, we were created to feel incomplete. We were created to be made complete by our God. When we peer up into the tree and see ourselves unable to reach the life we were created for…grasping for completeness without our God will always leave us with a gap. It’s not the lottery ticket life we seek, it’s the full life that we will only experience when we are perpetually filled by the grace of our God.
Trusting God for my power causes me to dismiss the temptation to source that energy and capacity from myself. When I go it alone, my bucket will run dry, but when I ask Him moment-by-moment for everything I need, there is an endless supply.
In his book The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson writes, “Work like it depends on you, pray like it depends on God.” Society preaches the first, and leaves us feeling that if we don’t get what we are working for…then it means we didn’t work hard enough or are in fact just not enough. Yet, our completeness is found in Him.
When you feel incomplete, consider where you are jumping for the apple alone. Our God is waiting to fill the gap. Ask Him. This the life you were created for. This is the life you never knew you always wanted and it is the only way to live.
