Exceedingly Abundantly

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3: 20). At times we feel as if we could impress God with all we are trying to do for Him and His church. Yet God has yet to be impressed with even the most grandiose human aspirations (See Psalm 8:3–4). You will never set a goal so big or attempt a task so significant that God does not have something far greater that He could do in and through your life.

Saul of Tarsus worked harder than anyone else to impress God with his efforts, only to discover that his greatest achievements were but rubbish compared to God's will for his life (See Philippians 3:7–8). Our problem is that we become too easily enamored with our own plans. If we are attempting to do noble or difficult things, we assume that we must be experiencing the maximum potential for our lives and that God must, therefore, be pleased with us. Until we have heard from God, we cannot even imagine all that our lives could become, or all that God could accomplish through us. We need to remind ourselves that the Father sees the “big picture,” that His power far exceeds our limited imagination. We must set aside our own agenda, however lofty. We must never become satisfied with our own dreams, for they are finite at best. When we follow God's direction, we will witness things happening in our lives that can only be explained by His powerful presence. How could we be satisfied with anything less?” —T. Blackaby, Richard Blackaby, Experiencing God Day by Day

In a world of over seven billion people, it’s easy to feel small, yet God has a purpose and a plan for each and every one of us. We all have unique gifts and talents. We all have unique perspectives, certain family and friend groups, and various workplaces. God uses this rich diversity to carry out his will, and his plans are always bigger, bolder, and better than anything we could ever imagine. It’s our natural inclination to want to accomplish something for God, to honor Him, and yet, in and of our own strength and ingenuity we’ll never reach the heights He can and will meet through us if we avail ourselves to His will. I hope if you’re feeling small, the Bible verses above and the devotional thought itself will cheer your hearts—you may feel small and ordinary. In God’s plan, He will bring forth the great and the extraordinary in our lives submitted to Him. —DH