“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:7-10
Feelings of Inadequacy
Have you ever felt inadequate for something? I know I have. Especially in the areas of career, relationships, new opportunities, businesses, and decisions that involve some risk. I have felt unprepared, insufficient, undereducated, inexperienced, and downright scared. For months, I delayed starting a business that the Lord had been encouraging me to start because I was afraid I wasn’t ready. I was afraid of what people would think of me. I was afraid that I wasn’t good enough at what I do. I was afraid of an unknown future.
If there is anything I have learned from life and business, it’s that the first steps are always the hardest. Growth, experience, and stretching don’t come easily. The battle we fight in our minds in the early stages is the one that enables us to move forward in confidence. When we replace our fearful and inadequate thoughts with thoughts that are true, holy, righteous, and pure, we start to lose sight of our own weaknesses. Instead, we are reminded of the strength we have in the Lord.
God is fully aware of who you are, where you have been, where you are going, and what your weaknesses are. He isn’t limited by any of it. He doesn’t need us to be perfect or put together. He’s just looking for humble hearts that seek after Him. He will give us everything else we need.
God’s Great Plans
When we let the fear that we aren’t good enough keep us from moving forward, we end up missing out on the good things God wants to do in our lives. God has great plans for your life! See Jeremiah 29:11 Don’t let your fears keep you from embracing the life the Lord has given you. Don’t let the fear of the next step keep you from taking it. Where God guides, He provides. He will equip you for whatever He calls you to do.
You might feel weak or inadequate, but God promises to be strong in you if you will trust Him. We don’t have to let the feelings of inadequacy or fear overwhelm us. We can choose to trust God and move forward in confidence, one step at a time. If you are waiting until you feel ready, then stop waiting. You will never feel ready. Courage isn’t a feeling. It’s a step we take forward despite the fear or inadequacy we feel.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ..”
Philippians 1:6
We cannot see the end of everything we are doing. Walking by faith means we have to get comfortable with not knowing everything ahead of time. We can move forward in joy and peace, believing God is working everything out for our good, even when we fail or make mistakes.
Takeaway Action/Challenge: Identify any areas in life in which you feel inadequate or afraid to move forward. Write down the reasons for your fears and hesitations. Then give those to the Lord in prayer. Ask Him for wisdom, confidence, and the ability to handle those new tasks. Also, think back on the times in the past when God was faithful to you in other ways. Be reminded of His love and goodness in your life in every season.
