It isn't useless

Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless. (Thomas A. Edison)

Some actually said 'not so nice stuff' about Edison. In fact, if Edison had listened to what others labeled as his limitations in life, we'd have been deprived of many a great invention. Did you know he didn't start communicating until he was nearly three and a half years old? When he finally did start, do you know what he did? He started asking how everything he touched or saw worked! He had a mind that was curious to understand the inner workings of things - from the simple to the very complex. His constant curiosity did not endear him to his school teachers, though. In fact, they thought his constant questions were hard to manage and they actually said he had an 'addled' brain! I guess 'addled' may be another word for 'genius'! At the age of twelve, he undertook the task of reading almost every book in the public library! Why? He wanted to learn - he hungered for knowledge - his mind was seldom at rest. I wonder how many of us have a hunger to learn like he did? Maybe not all the scientific stuff, with the intent of helping us figure out how things work, but in the spiritual sense - trying to 'figure out' how things work as a child of God?

The fear of man brings a trap, but he who trusts in the Lord will be honored. (Proverbs 29:25)

The fear of man is kind of like one of those 'limiting influences' in life that would do nothing more than shut down our discovery of things God has planned for us. Man might want to say we haven't done what was planned for us to do - but remember that God doesn't see any of us as useless just because we haven't done what was planned for us! He sees us as capable of getting with the plan again! I am one of those 'why' kind of people in this world. I ask 'why' a whole lot - my mind just works that way, I guess. I don't think this is a bad thing, but others may find it annoying because they are just content to not understand the 'why' behind things in their lives. There is nothing wrong with asking 'why' - but if I let your shut down my discovery by your criticisms of my curiously hungry heart and mind, I am falling prey to your 'trap' to keep me from experiencing all that God has planned for me.

Most things we 'plan' don't work out exactly as the plan called for, do they? We get reasonably close at times, but there were quirks and bumps along the way that we didn't count on when we 'planned' to do something or see something operate a certain way. I do a whole lot of planning, but very little actual 'implementation' of the plan - not because they weren't good plans, but because others swayed me into believing the plan was flawed. Whenever we listen more to what others say than we listen to the voice of God in our lives, we run the risk of missing out on the implementation of some pretty awesome plans. Each of those plans could be a great moment of 'discovery' in our lives, but when we fail to ever experience the plan, we are shutting down God's work in us. Listening to the voices that tell us we 'cannot' or 'will not' succeed with the plan is nothing more than falling into the trap of defeat. 

Some are defeated even before they take the first step into the plan! They have listened for so long to the voices of others telling them their plans are not right, or dumb. They are 'shut down' even before they 'start up'. Trust in the Lord to develop the plan and then continue to trust in him to bring about the fruition of that plan! Stop listening to what others are telling you won't work, or isn't within your ability. I doubt Edison ever knew he could invent the telegraph, much less the telephone or the light bulb. He never let the 'limitations' others put on him, or the criticism of his plans get him to a place where he stopped trying. In fact, those criticisms may have done more to fuel his creativity than shut it down! God has plans for you - great plans - stop listening to the voices that tell you otherwise! Even the 'failed plans' aren't really failures - they are launching points for the next phase of work. Just sayin!

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