Do you ever get the feeling like you can’t do anything right? That no matter how much you try, you just keep beating your head against the wall? I think we all do from time to time. It could be at home with our kids, at work, or maybe around the house working on a project.

I remember a few years ago, I endeavored on a plumbing project in my house. Nothing too crazy, just swapping out a few faucets in a bathroom. I’m a pretty handy guy. I’ve been involved in the construction industry most of my life, I have a background in electrical engineering, I’ve done woodworking, installed ceiling fans, and lots of other things. Plumbing was one thing I had never done before though. The first two faucets went fine. They were just on the sinks, with lots of access underneath. The third one though was for the bathtub. This is where it got tough.

I had to access the pipes inside the wall, and it was completely different than the sink setup. I won’t bore you with all the details, but we didn’t sleep in the house that night because I couldn’t turn the water back on after messing it up so bad. Three or four more trips to the hardware store and a saving visit from my brother-in-law finally got it done. At least the plumbing part. The drywall still needed to be replaced and painted where it was cut to access the pipes.

During that whole experience, I felt like a complete failure. Everything I did just seemed to make things worse. I had this sunken feeling in my stomach. My wife couldn’t even take a shower because I had messed things up so bad! In the grand scheme of things, I recognize this was not the end of the world, but wow. In the moment – I felt awful.

Ever been there? I hope you haven’t, but I suspect you have. If you are familiar with the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18), your life can feel like you are just pouring water on the altar. Seemingly making it impossible for anything good to happen. Robbing your life of the joy of fulfilling your joys and dreams. Jar after jar. Failure after failure. (Thank you, Brad Gustafson of the Chapel, for this beautiful imagery) Every trip I took to the hardware store for parts – another jar. Every time I turned on the water and the pipes leaked – another jar. Even asking for help from my brother-in-law – another jar.

In the end, just like with Elijah, it didn’t matter how many jars of water were put on that altar, God was going to burn through all of it. There is no limit to His goodness. There is nothing that will stop Him. No barrier, no divide, no Red Sea, no sickness, no death, no mistake, no sin that He can’t or won’t break through to get to you. Nothing that will stop Him from fulfilling His will and His way. He doesn’t want that water for you, but it sure isn’t going to stop Him. He loves you that much.

Like I said, the plumbing story was a pretty benign. That was just a metaphor though. Where are the leaks in your life? What pipes need to be fixed? Maybe it’s anger. I’ve been there. You want so bad to keep calm, but your circumstances overwhelm you. The littlest thing becomes the straw that breaks the camel’s back – another jar of water. Maybe it’s an addiction chaining you down. You do ok for awhile and then weakness finds you – more water. Worry, anxiety, fear – another jar. Your kids just don’t seem to make the right decisions or act out in crazy ways. You feel like a bad dad or a bad mom. You ask yourself where did I go wrong? Another jar.

It doesn’t matter how much water you pour on that altar – God will burn through it all.

Free yourself from the idea that you can somehow get it all figured out and from that moment you won’t make any mistakes. Reliance on God is not something to be ashamed of. Some say, “religion is a crutch.” I say bring it on. My faith in Him is a crutch we have built together in a relationship that I need every day. God is my crutch as I limp through this life and without it, I’m just sprawled out on the pavement desperately trying to get up.

If you have never read that story in the bible about Elijah, please let me encourage you to do so. It is an amazing story of God’s faithfulness. After that read the story that follows it too. Spoiler alert: Elijah has just experienced an incredible blessing and physical manifestation of God, and then he freaks out and runs for his life. As if God wouldn’t show up for him anymore. Can you relate? I know I can.

Father God – Thank you. Thank you for not letting all my jars of water interfere with your Kingdom breaking through to me. I pray for forgiveness for those jars as well as forgetting that you don’t have limits. That you have a will and a plan that will not be stopped by my failures. Jesus guide me. Use my failures to equip me to trust you more and to work in others. Holy Spirit fill me with your living water – forcing out all the impurities in my life holding me back from Your desires for my life. In Jesus’ name – Amen.