Qualified

Recently a friend told me that she knew God was calling her to go deeper, but that she was scared that she would fail. I can relate to her feelings. There have been times when God called me to do something out of my comfort zone - lead a small group, teach a lesson, write my testimony or take a step of faith into an unknown situation. It is human nature when we face the situations to think to ourselves, “Wait a minute. I can’t do that. I have never done that before. I don’t possess that gift, talent, ability or faith…and I can think of many others who would be more well suited for the job!”

We immediately begin to take inventory of all the things in our lives we feel we can or can’t do. If the new thing God calls us to doesn’t fall into the right category, we feel like volunteering someone else for the job!

Moses did this very thing! When God called him to lead the Israelites and approach pharaoh on behalf of the people,

Exodus 4:10 Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” 11 The LORD said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” 13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”

Moses didn’t feel qualified for the job. He knew he wasn’t the best communicator and he wanted God to send someone else! Moses was having the same mentality that many of us have when called by God to do something. He was looking to what he could do without God, not what he could do with God. When God calls you to do something, it is usually something you won’t be able to do on your own. If you could do it all on your own, God wouldn’t get any of the credit or glory.

Paul knew what it was like to rest in Christ’s power and not his own:

2 Corinthians 12:8 Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

When you don’t feel qualified is when you learn to rely on God. Relying on God is exactly where he wanted you all along. His power is made perfect in your weakness! You are qualified because of Him, He has everything you need! Rely on Him and it is then you will be able to give God all the glory for everything he does through you!

Don’t Settle,
Mel Miller