Exhilaration. Joy. Accomplishment. These are the words I would use to describe the moment I ran my very first 5K race. Even after ten years, I can close my eyes and remember that feeling. Every race I run, that feeling returns. The half-marathon relay I completed with my husband. Five milers at my hometown Pumpkin Show. An 8K and a half marathon. Each time was just as exciting and rewarding.
You may be thinking, “big deal, a lot of people do that” or, on the flip side, “I could never do that.” For the majority of my life, I was part of the latter. There were numerous runners in my family, including my husband, my father, and my children. For years I had followed them around to cross country races and even helped organize some running fundraiser events. But not once did I think I had the capacity to run or finish one of these races myself.
The word capacity refers to the mental, emotional, or physical ability to do something. I certainly did not believe I had any of those when it came to running. In fact, I had limiting beliefs regarding my capacity to accomplish many things until God nudged me into running.
Over the past ten years of running, my confidence has grown and I’ve learned so many things about myself, faith, perseverance, endurance, focus, the list could go on. But, there is one thing that I’ve learned that is the key to all of this. My capacity is only limited by my willingness to yield to the Holy Spirit.
There are so many verses of scripture I could share with you that speak to the power of the Holy Spirit. The strength from Christ (Philippians 4:13), the power in us (Romans 8:11), and guidance and understanding (John 14:26) all come from the Holy Spirit we received when we believed in the gospel and were baptized (Ephesians 1:13-14 and 1 Corinthians 12:13). But there is a passage that recently caught my attention which speaks more clearly to our own willingness:
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
Psalm 51:10-12
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
The Psalmist shares his desires to have a pure heart, a renewed spirit, to restore the joy of his salvation, and then he asks for that key ingredient. He asks God to grant a willing spirit to sustain him.
We all may have the desire for a pure heart, a renewed spirit, and renewed joy in our faith. We may also believe that our spirit is willing, but is it? I challenge you. Consider how willing your spirit really is. Does the desire to please others get in the way of being willing? Does your desire to be strong and not give into weakness, keep you from expressing your own needs? Maybe it is the fear of the unknown, the lack of knowing, or the need to be needed. Dig deep and ask God to reveal what resistance may be present. Make this passage in Psalms your prayer for yourself.
Be willing to stretch and be stretched.
Be willing to expand your capacity rather than limiting it with your attachment to the status quo.
Be willing to be willing to change.
Next Step
Do you want to discover your resistance to a willing spirit? A Certified Enneagram Coach can provide you with the gentle push to take that first step in finding your full capacity.