That's the message Paralympic gold medalist Jeremy Campbell shared Sunday at Briarwood Church. He was in town for Saturday night's Wheel Times, Inc. wheelchair soccer game, which was awesome! Jeremy, who grew up in Perryton, was born with a rare defect and had his right leg amputated when he was a year old. He's the first disabled athlete to break the 60-meter barrier. He won two gold medals and set the world record in the Pentathlon at the 2008 Paralympics.
Jeremy says he's learned to keep the focus on God, and that has made the difference in his life.
"I can look at my limits, or I can look at my limitless God," he said Sunday. Jeremy encouraged us to keep our eyes on Jesus, no matter what obstacles we face in life. We all have tough challenges and difficulties, but God can work through our "disabilities."
As Jeremy put it, "God loves impossible odds because He can show up and He gets the glory."
He quoted 2 Corithians 12:7 (The Message version): "Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations."
That message really inspired me. I've often thought I am limited in life because of my own disability. But what we see as obstacles, God sees as opportunities. God uses our weaknesses to equip us for greater works in His kingdom.
"You may be disqualified in the natural," Jeremy said. "Those disqualifications cannot stop you because if you are disqualified in the natural, you are qualified in the supernatural. God uses those people that are disqualified here in the physical realm to do the things He wants to do in you."
He said most of our problems are not circumstantial; they are perceptual. That's why we must always keep our focus on Jesus. When we do that, our problems and disabilities will seem small.
We may never understand why we have these limitations while we are here on earth, but we can know that God has a plan and purpose for us because He created us, just the way we are. God sees the bigger picture, and some day it will become clear to us. For now, we just need to trust Him.
"Our job is to trust God and believe even when all odds are against us!" Jeremy said.
He ended the message with one of my favorite verses, Philippians 4:13, which says "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." Look to God today. He will do amazing things in your life, just as He has in Jeremy's!
No comments:
Post a Comment