Have you ever felt like you were facing something that felt too big for you? It might have been graduating from high school or college. Or the responsibilities of parenthood after learning you had your first child on the way. Perhaps it was a job that felt a few sizes too big for you.
When I took the job I have now it was a leap of faith, and some days, like the day I am writing this, it feels like way more than I know how to do. When looking at the stack of work, the calendar, people’s expectations, and the difficulty and complexity of some of the tasks, and compare all that with my perceived ability, I can feel overwhelmed, or like God picked the wrong guy.
Not surprisingly, Old Testament heroes Moses, Gideon, and Jeremiah all felt the same way and made excuses when God gave them their assignments. When God told Moses He was sending him to Pharaoh, Moses didn’t feel equipped for the job. Who would feel confident about delivering millions of unarmed slaves from their hostile captors, on foot, into a desert, in broad daylight? Maybe that’s why Moses responded, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”
Now Moses had been trained in Pharaoh’s household and had a pedigree to lean on. But look at this—instead of pumping up his ego, God said, “Certainly I will be with you…” Moses had some credentials, but God didn’t point to those to bolster his confidence. He addressed the root concern Moses had: “This is too big. I can’t possibly do this alone!” God reassured him of His presence, and went on to give him details of exactly what to say and even how things would play out.
God wants us to depend on Him. Jeremiah 17:5-8 contrasts self-reliance with God-reliance, and the results of each approach. Things can seem too big for us, but they are never too big for God! Nothing is impossible for Him.
Whatever your challenge right now, God says He will never leave you or forsake You. And underneath are the everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 31:6, 33:27). If You are an exhausted mom working a job with two toddlers and a newborn waiting for you at home, God is there for you. Maybe you are a college student taking finals. God can strengthen you! If you are a business owner needing sales, God can guide you. If you are older and unable to work, concerned about your health and the economy, God has not forgotten you!
Clouds of despair only settle if you believe the enemy’s lie that you are alone. But you are never alone, and furthermore, God says He is for you! (Psalm 56:9 Romans 8:31). He divided the sea for Moses. And He will get you to the other side of your challenges as well, when you put your hope in Him.
