Can’t Never Could!!

I have prayed for you , that your faith will not fail. Luke 22:32

The lessons I learned from my parents are endless, some better than others, but I have to say my Mama was a great believer in teaching us girls to attempt new and different things in our lives. There were countless times when I or my sisters (mostly me) attempted something new and would go to her with the words, “I can’t.” Her response was quick and always the same, “Well, you know can’t never could.

The expression “can’t never could” is postive thinking Southern style. It literally means that if you think you can’t, you won’t be able to accomplish something; but if you think you can, you will succeed. Whenever I found something that I thought was too diffictult and said things such as; I can’t learn to play the piano, I can’t get an A in Algebra, I can’t get into a big college, I can’t learn to cook, or I can’t sing in the choir, Mama was right there to make sure I knew can’t never could.

It is so easy to say I can’t and just move on; however, great things can be accomplished when we try. There are two things worth remembering when we think we can’t do something. First, God doesn’t waste anything that He created. Secondly, He doesn’t waste anything He can use for His good.

Years ago, the women at our church had women’s retreats off campus and usually brought in speakers and sometimes musicians for the program. There are several retreats which stand out in my mind, but the best one was when we had Mrs. Jeannette Cathy of Chick Fil A fame as our speaker. She arrived accompanied by her daughter, Trudy into a group of admiring women. Before she began her presentation, Mrs. Cathy admitted to us that she was not the speaker in the family and really was very nervous that night. In her sweet way she said, “I am not sure I can do this ladies, so every time you see me falter, just yell out, “Yes, you can!” Mrs. Cathy did a beautiful job that night, but there were many interruptions of “Yes, you can!” Each time she acknowledged the affirmation, and she just got stronger throughout her presentation. She turned can’t never could into yes, you can!

In this life, God has a way of equipping each of us for things that He has in mind. There are things that God has placed in each one of us that sometimes may have seemed to work against us while we were growing up! For instance, some of us enjoyed pouring over books and research. God can use that! Some of us were quick to confront and excited to run right at the enemy. God can use that. Some of us held on to ideas and pushed them like a pit bull! God can use that! He uses both the good and the bad qualities we have!

God works even when we think we just can’t do what He is asking of us. Here’s how God works. First, he seeks us out, then He prepares us, then He positions us, then He empowers us to do what He knows we can do most effectively. For instance, look at Peter. He had only one gear: wide open, and he was always in the middle of everything that was going on, but he wasn’t always on top of things. This man who ended up leading the church, first denied being a disciple of Jesus.

This week when we hear ourselves saying things like; I can’t make an impact in this world of today, I can’t do anything to help others, I can’t make time in my schedule to attend a small group, I can’t facilitate a small group or Bible Study, I can’t volunteer for a mission, or I can’t stand one more day of the emotional and physical pain, let’s remind ourselves that can’t never could and yes, we can!

Not only can God turn our lives and our “I can’ts” into “Yes, I cans,” but He can use us to turn the lives of others around as well! We never really know our own strength and possibilities until we hear someone remind us that can’t never could.

Sometimes we wonder how in the world we will ever get out of the mess we’ve made with bad decisions or mistakes and truthfully, maybe we can’t. The good news is that God can! Can’t never could, but with God, yes, we can!