This post is a translation of Pastor Lee's post from SBC's website, written on 9.27. 2026.
We use certain words and ways of thinking without much thought, yet they quietly diminish the potential of our spiritual lives. One of them, I believe, is the expression many Koreans often use: ‘Only this far.’ (여기까지) Some people say that this phrase accurately describes the faith of many Korean Christians today. For example, when they are asked to serve in a ministry, they set a limit for themselves and say, ‘This is as far as I can go.’ Even those who are serving as Shepherds and Shepherd’s wives sometimes draw an invisible line in their hearts and decide, ‘This is as much as I’m willing to do.’
As I heard people describe this tendency, I could not help but ask myself, “Are we any different?” As I reflected, I realized how such thinking can hinder not only the capacity God has given us but also the work He desires to accomplish through us. One lesson I have learned through ministry is that God has given us far greater capacity than we realize. Human capacity can keep growing as long as we are willing to stretch it. Someone who struggles to care for one person today may continue responding to the challenges God places before them and eventually find themselves caring for two hundred people. Mother Teresa is a good example.
When my wife lived in Korea, she would become completely exhausted after preparing a meal for ten guests. Sometimes she would even get sick afterward. But while serving in a singles house church, there were times when she prepared meals for as many as forty people, attended early morning prayer the next day, and later, when our third worship service first began, she regularly helped feed 120 young adults after worship. Today, because of her severe vision loss, she can no longer do those things, but she has become someone who is no longer intimidated by large numbers of guests. God expanded her capacity far beyond what she once thought possible. The same principle applies to intellectual abilities such as memory, learning, and understanding.
Human capacity grows as it is stretched. We can be used far beyond what we believe our limits are. In fact, I believe this is part of what Jesus intended to teach through the Parable of the Talents. The servant who buried what he was entrusted with and returned it unchanged was called a wicked and lazy servant. In the same way, if we keep standing before opportunities for ministry and saying, “Only this far,” drawing our own boundaries, I believe we will one day hear a similar rebuke from our Lord.
This mindset not only limits our own capacity; it also limits what God can do in and through us. Peter was the only disciple who stepped out of the boat. Even if he walked on water for only a few steps, he experienced something the others never did. Had he stayed in the boat, he would not have experienced a miracle. When we step beyond our comfort zone and take a risk in faith, God works, and we get to witness His work firsthand.
When circumstances seem impossible, and we choose to tithe anyway, we discover God’s surprising provision. When life seems too busy and overwhelming to become a Shepherd, yet we commit ourselves to that ministry, we encounter God’s work in our lives. When we are sick, the natural response is to visit a doctor, but sometimes, when we step forward and ask for prayer, we experience God’s healing power in a fresh way. If we act only according to what seems reasonable and safe, we leave little room for God to demonstrate His power. It is when we step beyond what appears sensible and take a step of faith that we often experience God at work. But if we keep saying, “Only this far,” we will inevitably place limits on what God desires to do.
Therefore, whenever the words “Only this far” begin to come out of your mouth, stop yourself. Instead, say, “If God desires it, I am willing to go the extra mile.” As you do, may God expand your capacity and enlarge your territory, and may you experience His wonderful work in your life.






