If I do what I can do, He will do what I cannot

I was recently reminded about a piece of wisdom given to me several years ago. If I do what I can do, God will do what I cannot. This piece of wisdom was passed along by a friend who had battled Type 2 diabetes for many years. She was on several medications and only partially managed her condition. She began to pray about her condition and she felt like God said to her. “If you do what you can do, I will do what you cannot.” So over the next few years she altered her diet, and increased her exercise. She lost a lot of weight and soon her doctor began taking her off her medications one by one until her diabetes was managed primarily by diet and exercise. She had tried to do this in the past with limited success, but this time, for whatever reason, it worked. She considered it an answer to prayer.

I find myself looking for similar instances in my own life. It is easy to look at the challenges I’m faced with and feel discouraged. Whether it be our student loan debt, dwindling savings account or my strong willed toddler; there are days when the difficulties seem insurmountable. But now I’m trying to remember that piece of wisdom. If I do what I can do, He will do what I cannot.

I can’t magically increase our savings account and evaporate our debt. But I can live frugally, manage our finances well and leave the rest up to God. I can’t transform my independent, strong-willed three-year-old into a laid back child. But I can provide her with love and healthy boundaries and leave the rest up to God. Obsessing over the difficulty of the terrain won’t make the mountain any smaller, but it will make the climb more unpleasant.