Capacity

Can you explore? Do you have freedom to do that? Can you run, or do you always walk? Can you dance; sing? Most watch, few participate, and this illustrates life in general. Granted, a person learns a job, performs, sometimes creates, and athletes run and performers dance. Not what I mean— well, what then?
 
Capacity varies from person to person—yes aptitude for life. Psalm 34:18 says “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” The broken in pieces clothe themselves with God’s love and God’s love constrains them—He pulls them close to Himself, and this doting love, gathers them back together and holds them there.
 
The contrite other, flattened by a crushing blow, requires broadening. So, capacity building does what here? It takes a person with injury-produced fear, doubt, emotional pain, and a generally crushed desire/zeal for life, and reestablishes the “want to’s.” This poor person had rejected life, refused to go on, and maybe just withdrew into him or herself.
 
Honestly, we all can identify with some of this stuff experientially, so God must re-capacitate us often. Why? Let me illustrate: a person places a certain friend at high worth and then that person betrays them. This hits their belief system’s bull’s eye, and shaken, it opens them to disillusionment. In other words, the betrayal wounded them, but how?

At that point, two things happened. One, a person betrayed them, yes; but in addition, their carefully constructed value system, cowering and staggering, let them down. If this happens, people may feel they can no longer trust their convictions, because their high value on trusting people failed. Do you see it? Their high estimate placed on the principle of trusting people, comes into self-question and they can’t help but reevaluate what they believe. Capacity takes a hit here, and the shoulders droop.

How does God re-life us practically speaking? First thing to know; degrees of life-flow, in and out, provide measurement of crush, or vitality differentials. Can I give? Can I receive? Neither? The basketball, deflated, needs air. It must receive it from without—then it turns around and gives its full shape to be used for the enjoyment of others. Eh?
 
Capacity is received and next is healing. Without a healer there is no heal, but many try self-healing, and spurn the capacity to believe that there exists a living God who loves them and cares about their life and wants healing for them. Folks, we cant heal ourselves and unless my capacity for relationship-trust is fixed, we live wounded till we die.
 
Wounded by a friend? Fear getting to know another, including God? He understands this. “Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vine, for that vine has tender grapes.” Song of Solomon 2:14. These foxes are burrowing under the ground, and with their burrowing remove the firm soil needed to support the vine. They loosen the connection and put the vine in a vulnerable place. It could be uprooted at any time. This, yes this, happens to all, were on the edge, not just badgered but whacked in our vine (relationship-capacity.)
 
What is needed?—the firming of the soil. Four types of soil are mentioned in Matt13. Wayside—packed tight, stony—full of rocks, thorn infested—full of weeds, and good—anticipating a good fill. What is the good soil? Broken up for planting is the good soil. Aerated soil, water-assimilating soil, and fertilizer-hungry soil characterize a good piece of ground.
 
So, God takes a hard compressed or stony heart and creates breathing room. He takes a rigid, tight, and overly careful, guy and gives him space, wide open terrain. His steps are enlarged under him, and he falls, but never is utterly caste down. He walks but does not faint; he runs and does not get weary, he does not fear to take faith steps —vivification!
 
This guy becomes so immersed in his unconditional acceptance by God, he starts to move loose and free. His hair is a little messy and the tie is not exactly straight. Maybe he forgot to shave. Her hair is in activity mode, and she moves with God’s grace. Neither him or her get bothered so much anymore, as living overwhelms the big need for perfection. Life vision shines bright.  

These guys make mistakes sometimes, even fail. No matter; vitality, purpose, freedom, and God’s presence create a mix that overshadows worry, emptiness, self occupation; and hesitant fear. Dees boys got capacity!
 
Well, a soil, good in quality and well prepared, sets for fruit bearing. Seeds go into this soil, decay there, break open, then shoots appear. Eventually blossoms come into view, buds, and then fruit. So, when God creates life flourish, He creates room for Himself to fill it.
 
God wants all of His children to see their life from the eternal perspective of His plan for them; perfect and finished. This implies trust that all of His ways are indeed perfect, and all working together for good as in Romans 8:28. The rocks, thorns, and foxes must be expelled. This plan conforms a believer to the image of Christ Romans 8:29.
 
Finally, an excerpt from Pastor Stevens: a man was the pastor of a very famous church. He lost his son in a drowning accident, and this man of God went through a tremendous time of grief. God spoke to him, as he continued to pastor He said, “I know that you are broken, and your spirit is so broken. But,” He said, “before this tragedy, your portion was like a very small package. When you are a package wrapped up in yourself, that is as small as you get (Jeremiah 48:11). But now, because you have allowed me to break you, you are free to break out of yourself. Your soul will be enlarged, and your capacity for My life will expand in the measure that you take up your cross and follow Me.” Amen