You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News

We don't like to be reminded that we're finite beings. We like to believe the lie that we're the captains of our own fate, able to rise to any challenge, and smart enough to solve any problem. But the reality is... we're not! Kelly Kapic's new book helps us understand that being limited by time and space (and pretty much every other aspect imaginable) is actually a good thing. Kapic writes with fluid prose that's easy to track and yet deep enough to stretch seasoned readers. I was challenged and refreshed by this book. As a teacher, chaplain, and coach, I highly recommend this book!

In “You’re Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God’s Design and Why That’s Good News,” Dr. Kelly Kapic invites us to explore—and embrace—our creatureliness. Rather than seeing our finitude as something “bad,” an effect of the Fall that must be overcome, Kapic argues that our limits are a gift from God. It is in and through our creaturely limits that we are to love God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves.Our struggle against our limitations—our desire to take everything on or our suspicion that we can’t do anything at all—is not a time management problem or a distraction-culture problem. It’s a theological problem and a pastoral problem.Kapic sets out to correct widespread misconceptions about the doctrines of redemption and creation. “We must confess,” he writes, “that God loves me and not just Christ instead of me.” Our union with Christ establishes rather than dissolves our particularity. In an especially moving chapter, he urges us to grapple with the the earthiness of the Incarnation. The Word becomes flesh, leaving no question that our bodies are good. Our dependence on other humans, our need for food and sleep, our bodily vulnerability, our reliance on resources outside of ourselves: in the Incarnation these are all linked to human flourishing.In part 2, Kapic helps us imagine a life of “healthy dependence,” reframing our notions of humility, time, sanctification, and church life. He ends with some practical guidance for moving towards our finitude, such as acknowledging rhythms of life, making time to rest, and purposefully pursuing gratitude.This is a deeply necessary book that grounds an embrace of our creatureliness in who we ARE not what has happened to us or who we think we should be. I know I will be rereading the chapters on the body and time, especially, because there is so much to soak in.

"Beloved, you and I are secure in the love of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the fellowship of the Spirit. May this security allow us to celebrate our limits as part of God’s good work. May this security drive us back to our God, to one another, and even to our right dependence on the rest of creation. May this security encourage our work, liberate our rest, and free us to love and serve others. God made us to be limited creatures, able to freely participate in his work, confident in his presence, and grateful for his promises and provision. Let us appreciate the goodness of our finitude as we rest in the love and provision of our infinitely good God. May it be so."With this closing prayer, Kapic summarizes the essence of his message. It seems like we should know better, but we live our lives assuming we can do anything or everything—or at least that we should be able to. But, he argues effectively and pastorally, we are by God's design created with limitations. These limitations are not evil or sinful, but are built in to each human. Realizing our limits can free us rather than frustrate us.Great book!

Last year I had gone through a spiritually manipulative and abusive relationship. After breaking off my engagement it was evident that I needed to take steps towards healing. I have prayed for the Lord to provide clarity gently as I sift through a lot of the lies that were forced or spoken over me by my ex fiancé, specifically in regards to my relationship with the Lord and my life. Since reading You’re Only Human, God has used this book to do just that! This book not only gave me confidence in my faith, it also provided insight Into the perspective of my ex. It was made clear that the ways that he treated me was in line with viewing finitude as a sin. This book also beautifully elevates the person of Jesus Christ! You’re Only Human, breaks this down in a gentle and compassionate way that truly gives us confidence to be the creatures God created! We can truly have a healthy respect of Our Infinite God while recognizing and praising Him for making us finite. I cannot recommend this book enough! Thank you Dr. Kapic for speaking on the things that are not spoken on enough!

This book is a labor of love for the world. It nudges you to ask yourself, "what does God really require of you in a day?". Often our interpretation of the Christian faith paints God as task master that sullenly looks down from heaven with disappointment in his eyes. Dr. Kapic seeks to nurture believers to have eyes to see God's true delight for them and the freedom we have when we embrace our finitude. The topic of Christian rest and a more noble pursuit of a living a life less hurried is growing, and for good reason, but Dr. Kapic seeks to propel this way of life not from a time management perspective but from a theological perspective. I am so grateful for Dr. Kapic's continued willingness to share his gifts with the world - while also acknowledging his limitations and living faithfully in his present reality, as a husband, teacher, father and friend.