Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
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It makes life easier to live if we admit to ourselves that there are some things we just cannot do. God does not expect us to do some things; He knows that we cannot do those things; and He will not hold us accountable for not doing them.
There are some very good things that we would like to see accomplished, but we cannot do them. There are people, precious to our hearts, that we would love to see blessed and happy in Jesus, but we cannot make it happen. There are certain situations in life that we would like to change, but we cannot change them. There are people who have died that we would like to raise up again, but we cannot raise them up. We are limited in power and in wisdom, and those limitations are placed upon us by God Himself. There are things we cannot do because it is not given to us to do them.
One of the hallmarks of an over-religious spirit is that it makes us feel guilty for things that are beyond our control. An over-religious spirit condemns people for not doing the very things that they cannot do, and it is never satisfied with any effort that sincere people make. Jesus, on the other hand, can be completely satisfied with us and never condemns us for not doing what is beyond our power to do.
I know that Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me". Much has been made of that verse by certain people. But there were many things that Paul could not do. He could not persuade the Jews that Jesus was their Messiah, even though he wanted that so much that he was willing even to surrender his own soul for them if God would have allowed it (Rom. 9:1-3). Concerning the unbelieving Jews, Paul wrote, "I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart." But there was nothing Paul could do about that. When Paul's friend Epaphroditus was gravely ill, Paul could not heal him, though he had healed others, but God had mercy on Epaphroditus by allowing him to recover (Phip. 2:25-27). Paul sometimes wanted to travel to certain places, but was not able to go (1Thess. 2:18). Paul said that he "could do all things in Christ", but he expected us to understand that he could only do those things in Christ that were appointed for him to do by God. Paul had no power whatsoever to do anything other than what God anointed him to do.
There were also things that Jesus could not do, and he said so. When one young man wanted Jesus to command his brother to divide their father's inheritance with him, Jesus said, "Who made me a judge in those matters?" In another place, we are told that Jesus "could do no mighty miracles" because of the unbelief of the people in that town. And finally, we should remember that Jesus plainly said, "Of myself, I can do nothing." Never forget that Jesus wept in deep grief for the stubbornness of Jerusalem. He knew what was coming for the Jews and the holy city, but he could do nothing about it. It was also impossible for Jesus to give the holy Ghost to anyone, even his own disciples, while he was on earth because he had to die and ascend into heaven in order for the holy Ghost baptism to be made available to men. He just could not do it.
During the time my wise father was dying, I had begun to suffer with a heavy condemnation because the people in a Bible class I was teaching were failing to grasp the truth to which I was trying to lead them. Unknown to me, I had begun to "beat myself up", as the saying goes. A few days before my father went to be with Jesus, I visited him in his hospital room. He was, in those final days, only partially alert. Still, the holy Ghost was living in him, and as my father lay there, from his lips came words of great comfort to me that I knew were from the Lord, for I had not told my father how I was feeling. Only Jesus knew. The weight of self-condemnation was immediately taken off my shoulders, and I stood there amazed at the grace of God. He had used a man to be my pastor just as effectively as in the days when that man was in full health.
Jesus' message to me that day was, in sum, "There are some things that you cannot do, and I still love you." That is how I know it is true.