“I Can’t Stands No More” #1: Overview

Some of you are old enough to remember the cartoon “Popeye the Sailor Man.” He’s a stocky man with thinning hair, huge forearms and a jutting jaw. His face is in a perpetual squint with his left eye closed. There’s always a corncob pipe dangling from his mouth at a jaunty angle.

The love of his life is Olive Oyl, a tall, pencil thin woman. With her oversized feet, large nose, and hair tied in a bun, only Popeye would call her attractive.

Whenever something is wrong Popeye exclaims, “That’s all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more.” He opens a can of spinach, downs it in one gulp, and suddenly has supernatural strength. In a flash, and with fists flying, Popeye saves the day.

Our world is broken. Poverty. Homelessness. Starvation. Unsanitary water. Divorce. Poor parenting. Irrelevant churches. Uninspired leadership. Need I go on?

What is it for you that triggers the words, “That’s all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more?”

• What breaks your heart?
• What moves you to tears?
• What’s wrong that needs to be made right?
• What unmet need must be met?
• What problems must be solved?
• What causes you to say, “Someone should do something?”

Perhaps God is calling you to be the one to do something about it!

Before you were born God embedded within you a desire for purpose. Intuitively, you sense that He put you on earth for a reason. Deep down you recognize there’s something you’re supposed to do, some assignment you’re meant to complete. You know in your soul that God created you for a purpose that is unique to you.

Before the foundations of the world, God looked across the mists of time and saw – you.  He loved you from the moment He saw you.  When He created you, He gave you a special assignment that is unique to you. This is your calling – the unique reason you are here on earth.  He designed and equipped you with everything you need to accomplish this task, including His promise to be with you always. The Great Adventure of the Christian life is to know and live out your calling.

• What difference do you long to make with your one and only life?
• What change for the better do you yearn to take place?
• What impact on the world do you want to leave behind?
• What do you want to see improved because you walked this earth?
• What is the “one thing” God assigned you to help fix?

This is your calling. This is the reason God put you on earth.

Note: An excellent resource is the book “Holy Discontent” by Bill Hybels, Zondervan, 2007. The Popeye metaphor comes from this book.