This post is part of the "Believe & Behave" series.
There may have been a time in your life when you thought you could do just about anything. You could work long hours without feeling the side effects of little or no sleep. There may have been a time when you could run or walk a long distance and feel no pain in your muscles the next morning. Then you got older and your seemingly boundless energy started to wane. It is part of being human, and being human over the long haul can actually get us discouraged—even depressed.
We don’t have to live as depressed people, especially if we personally know the God of the Bible.
In fact, there is a truth about God that can positively influence your perspective on your own earthly limitations. It is called the “infinity of God.”
When we say that God is “infinite,” we are saying that He is free of any limitations in being God. He doesn’t grow old. He doesn’t become less able to do the things He says He will do. He doesn’t face challenges that will be impossible for Him to overcome. Yet, we humans are limited in so many ways. Therefore…
In spite of our limitations, God's infinity can comfort us.
Comfort? Is that really possible? Consider what the Scriptures teach us about God.1. God is infinite with respect to space.
As a human being you can only be in one place at a time. But this is not true with God. Psalm 139:7-12 reveals a God who is not limited by distance or the darkness of night. God sees our location, and He is present wherever we are. A soldier can be far from home, but he is never away from God. A daughter can go off to the university and away from a parent’s care. But she is never away from God. God is infinite with respect to space.2. God is infinite with respect to time.
You and I are limited in terms of our earthly existence. We are born; we live a certain number of years; and then we die. But this is not the case with God. Moses stated in Psalm 90:1-2 that God was the Creator of the material world. Yet before the earth came into existence and the mountains and seas were formed, God existed! Moses says, “From eternity to eternity, You are God.” A student looks at a syllabus and worries as to how he will get all of the required papers written before the semester ends. He assumes that he doesn’t have enough time. Yet he can call on the Lord of time to empower and direct his efforts. After all, God is infinite with respect to time.3. God is infinite with respect to His perfections.
That is, there are no imperfections in God at all. Yet, we humans are limited by our sinful nature. As much as we might try, we become impatient. We may set a standard to always tell the truth, but at various times and under certain circumstances we might mislead people. This is never the case with the Almighty One. The Apostle John describes God as having “absolutely no darkness residing within Him” (1 John 1:5). Therefore, you can trust Him no matter how many times people have lied to you or mistreated you in the past. God is infinite with respect to His perfections.Talk show hosts like to pontificate about God’s presence and power when bad things happen. A natural disaster can become the fodder for philosophical discussions regarding God’s goodness and love. A tragic shooting can bring forth dialogue about how God can be loving and still allow such wickedness to happen.
What we fail to consider is that our world is infected with sin through and through. As a result, bad things will happen. And yet, it is in the context of these unwanted tragedies that we can call upon a God who is not limited by time, space, or imperfections.
Have you called upon Him recently? If not, start by praising Him for being the God who is infinite. Then ask Him to enter your “limiting circumstances.” He will. He knows all you are facing. He longs to be present in all you do.
