by Kevin Burtom
A recent message from In Touch ministries begins, “From time to time, a sense of insufficiency will surface in all of us.”
Yeah, I’m thinking, “what do you mean from time to time?” If you mean from one minute to the next, then sure, from time to time I feel inadequate.
But a sense of inadequacy is not a problem for the believer. In fact, it’s a requirement. If you don’t think you’re inadequate, you’re not paying attention to either the spiritual or physical world around you.
Moses famously had a sense of inadequacy.
When God called him to tell Pharaoh to let captive Israel go, he replied “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11 KJV).
From there we have a longish conversation. Among other things Moses said to God “I am not eloquent.” But Moses was most eloquent in stringing together a long list of objections and excuses as to why he was not the man for the job.
Moses finally just said, no.
“And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.” (Ex. 4:13 KJV).
God’s response:
“And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.”
“And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.” (Exodus 4:14-17).
Without God s provision there was no way Moses could have carried out the mission. But God equipped Moses and he will equip you and me too.
“It’s not sin to feel insufficient, but we can miss the mark by complacently accepting that attitude,” In Touch writes.
“Even Paul felt inadequate, but he didn’t allow his feelings to prevent his sharing the gospel. (See 1 Tim. 1:15-16.) Instead, he allowed his limitations to drive him closer to God. For believers, the correct reaction is prayer and biblical meditation so that our ability to rely on the Lord is strengthened.”
“God’s Spirit enables us to achieve whatever He calls us to do. The disciples followed Jesus for years, but His final instructions left no doubt concerning their need for divine help: ‘You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses’ (Acts 1:8).”
“Our inadequacy, like that of the disciples, showcases God’s ability to do great things with so little. Remember, Moses and David were shepherds and Gideon was least among Israel’s men (Judg. 6:15), yet the Lord accomplished amazing feats through all three of them.”
“Our inadequacy can turn out to be a blessing by driving us to greater dependence upon God,” the In Touch message reads. “Like Paul, we are able to say, ‘I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me’ (2 Cor. 12:9).
How can we do God’s work through His strength? Here are the steps outlined by In Touch.
Acknowledge your weakness.
“Suppose a neighbor tells you about his sister’s life-threatening illness. He’s scared, wondering what comes after death. You sense God urging you to share your hope in Christ, but inadequacy nearly drowns out the prompting. “
“Feeling unsure is a normal reaction, and following God’s directive requires acknowledging our fear. For example, we can pray, “Lord, I don’t feel capable. Help me witness to my neighbor.”
Pray for strength.
“Say, ‘Father, I know this is what You want me to do, so I’m trusting You to be true to Your Word. You said You’d make me adequate in Christ Jesus.’”
“The Lord assumes responsibility for enabling you to know what to say, how to say it, and to deliver His message in the appropriate spirit (Matt. 10:20).”
Step out in faith.
Do something that propels you into the God-given opportunity, allowing Him to prove His power and your ability when relying on Him.
“To live joyfully and confidently, shift your gaze from your limitations to Jesus’ sufficiency,” In Touch writes.
“Let God turn inadequacy into victory. He delights in proving Himself in His children’s lives. When you look beyond your limitations to Jesus’ total sufficiency, you’ll find joy and confidence.”
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