For most of my childhood, I was extremely negative. As accidents happened over and over again, I developed a low sense of esteem. When you add to this a severe speech impediment, my thoughts quickly filled my mind with a I Can’t mentality. This doom and gloom became a self fulfilling prophecy as accidents, disappoint and failure followed me for more than a decade.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their distress and troubles. 18 The Lord is close to those who are of a broken heart and saves such as are crushed with sorrow for sin and are humbly and thoroughly penitent. 19 Many evils confront the [consistently] righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all, Psalm 34:17-19.
While I didn’t recognize this at the time, God began to send strong Christians into my life. My 8th grade Science teacher was like a modern day Jesus who daily lived out the Bible. As I reached high school, I was invited to attend the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, but I kept saying no. I guess I was too cool for God. Yet, ungodly beliefs like “I’m not good enough” or I’ll never amount to anything” separated me from God.
I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want. 13 I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who [g]infuses inner strength into me; I am [h]self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency], Philippians 4:12-13.
By the middle of my sophomore year of high school, I became addicted to Jesus. As I started to attend Bible Studies with other Christian athletes, the negativity which once consumed me began to fade away. Subsequently, when a spiritual mentor introduced me to the passage above, I started to shed my I Can’t mindset. Following an amazing FCA summer camp experience, I was transformed from I Can’t to God can.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 