Have you ever felt incompetent about a task at hand or a role you have? Worried about a new season in life? Anxious about an unexpected change? You are in good company!
The Bible is replete with stories of men and women who felt overwhelmed by the enormity of their responsibilities and burdened under the weight of their calling.
God commissioned Noah to build a boat when there was not even a rain cloud in sight for the many years he laboured on the ark. Yet, he plodded on and did as God told him to, and his stoic obedience saved his family from being wiped out in the Great Flood.
Moses, the outlaw in hiding, became the greatest leader in the history of mankind. The one who was slow of speech was the one God singled out to speak out to the Pharaoh, the ruler of the greatest civilization of the time. The octogenarian led an entire nation out of slavery and on a journey like no other through trying times, through forty years of trusting God to provide for their every need. He did not worry about the logistics or supplies for the way, but chose to be still and know that He is God!
Gideon didn't think much of himself. He was almost sure that the Lord probably made a mistake in picking him. His clan was the weakest and he was the least in his family. But he trusted the God who called him out of his hiding place to rout ‘an army without number’ with a scraggly bunch of 300 men and instructions that seemed absurd to say the least. But his obedience gave them unprecedented victory!
For David, what seemed like an errand--taking food for his brothers who were at the forefront of the war--changed the course of his life and his nation, fulfilling the prophecy of the Messiah’s lineage. The shepherd boy refused to cower in fear at the Philistine giant’s taunts and threats. He took on the heavily armoured giant armed with nothing more than faith, a few pebbles, and a slingshot! The Lord God had helped him in the countryside and David was certain He would again help him again on the battlefield. The giant was slain and the mighty army scattered in fear when their champion fell!
Esther, the orphan girl who had to hide her identity, suddenly found herself pushed into the limelight! As queen, she had to gather up courage to come before the great king whose displeasure at her presence could have her executed, queen or not! But her courage and obedience saved her people from certain destruction.
I imagine these stalwarts of faith to be just like us--squinting out for the fist sized cloud, quivering with anxiety, fearful of the powers that be, uncertain if they should speak up, weighing up their insufficiencies and listing out their limitations.
I believe when they were convinced of what the Lord wanted them to do, they were strengthened and emboldened. They set their faces like flint. They were willing to do what the Lord instructed them to do, in spite of how absurd it might have seemed.
We may never face the magnitude of such responsibilities in our lifetime, but I am sure that we may feel discouraged, unprepared, inadequate, and powerless, among other overwhelming feelings of insufficiency.
I pray that in these times, we will remember that He is the same yesterday, today, forever, as we take that first step of faith to obey what He is calling us to do.
I pray in these times that we would remember that "He chooses the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, He chooses the weak things of this world to shame the strong" (1 Corinthians 1:27).
I pray that we would seek Him, that we would put away every other distraction and listen to His instruction. I pray that our hearts would not be tossed around, but be steadfast in believing that He will be mighty on our behalf, that His favour surrounds us as a shield.
May Isaiah’s prayer be echoed in our hearts as we cry out and say, ‘Here I am, O Lord, send me!’ and may we be strengthened by the truth that His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
Photo by Jong Marshes on Unsplash
