What are you good at? My soon-to-be-married daughter recently asked me to address her wedding invitations. I’ve hand-lettered since I was twelve and once ran a calligraphy business, so I told her, “Of course!” You confidently say “Yes” when asked to perform tasks at which you excel.
But what if God asks you to act outside your natural abilities—something in which you don’t feel secure? Do you get nervous and start making excuses?
I have a secret for you: God empowers you for whatever He directs you to do. Whether or not you feel confident is entirely beside the point.
Sitting in a congregation years ago, I watched a pastor from a large African church preach in French while his interpreter rapidly translated to English. I had studied French extensively, but perceiving the pressure of being on-stage, having to mirror a fast-talking preacher in another language, I thought, “I would never want to do that!” Yet God had something else in mind, and I was soon called upon to interpret for that preacher and others in multiple states and even countries. But it wouldn’t have happened if I’d not agreed; I chose to step out in spite of insecurity.
The Bible says those who believe on Jesus carry treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves (2 Corinthians 4:7).
God empowers you to do whatever He leads you to do. “But I’m not qualified! I feel inadequate,” you argue. What did the apostle Paul write about that?
Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God (2 Corinthians 3:5).
The same God who:
- Made Joseph adequate to interpret a dream he’d never heard and to become second in authority only to Pharoah
- Performed wonders through Moses and helped him lead 2 million people
- Gave shepherd-boy David power to slay a giant and to become king
- Put words on the lips of self-doubting prophet Jeremiah
- Called the zealous Jew, Saul–who became Paul, to bring the gospel to the Gentiles
will empower you to fulfill every leading He puts in your heart!
God supplies the how; He supplies the power, the adequacy; He qualifies you. You supply the willingness, the availability, the faith to say, “Yes.”
This is the amazing thing: the earthen vessel isn’t supernatural, but what’s inside it is. The Holy Spirit wants the cooperation of every believer, so He can work through them. Jesus calls you to be a co-laborer with Him, not a bystander, a mere spiritual consumer in a church or small group (1 Corinthians 3:9).
I am not telling you to learn another language and serve as a missionary. What I am saying is that God can use you right here, right now, just as you are. He may just want you to plant a seed or to add a little water, and He will bring the increase (1 Corinthians 3:7). Your part is to make yourself available and to step out of your comfort zone as He leads—the results are up to Him.
Thanks, JB – your encouragement to be available to God outside of our comfort zone is much appreciated! A sense of confidence (in Him) is more important that a feeling of competence (in myself)!