Next time you question your abilities to pursue your God-given vision , consider the story of Moses:
Moses said to the LORD, “O 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.” The LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” But Moses said, “O Lord, please send someone else to do it.” Exodus 4:10-13
Moses was used of God to do incredible things for God’s glory, yet Moses, more than many leaders I know, questioned his own abilities. He lacked confidence and would have probably never volunteered for the job. His reasons might have been:
- Past failure
- Fear
- The task was overwhelming
- He was intimidated by the Asker
- He felt unqualified
What’s your excuse for not obeying the vision God has placed in your heart? Is it really a valid reason?
Perhaps you need to do as Moses did…walk by faith, not by sight.
Great post, Ron. I think it's significant that God surrounded Moses with people who could help him accomplish the vision as well. Moses wasn't a fantastic public speaker…so God, in His sovereignty, brought Aaron alongside.
Moses WAS unqualified…just like each of us, on our own, is as well. Thankfully, though, God has given us the Church. We don't individually possess all of the gifts necessary to accomplish the grand vision God's placed in our hearts. We aren't gifted in each of the areas that's needed. But that's okay. The Church is.
Thanks Ben. Thankful for great partners in ministry!
I was about to pass this post up, even though I routinely question my abilities (or apparent lack thereof), but God encouraged me to read it. All of the excuses (except for being intimidated by the Asker) are things I see in my life, plus, "Why would anyone listen to anything I say? I have nothing worthy or valuable to share".
I have the utmost faith that God loves everybody, and that He has tremendous plans for their lives (even if not earth-shattering, but being a good parent can be a tremendous thing), that their past is not a reflection or a prison.
Yep, I believe it for everyone–except me (you knew that was coming, right?). I can sort of get behind God loving me (kind of the whole point of salvation and accepting it and all, besides that pesky sin part), but the rest of it is like the aliens from District 9 trying to fit in. It just makes no sense to me whatsoever, and I can't grasp that it's even relevant to me.
Thanks for not passing it up! Thanks also for sharing with honesty. I think you would be surprised how many would share this sentiment. Praying for you! Ron
We had a big name coach just cancel on a mens ministry activity we were planning for about 300-400 men about ten days from now. Both me and others involved in the planning sensed the LORD leading me to share a message for the event and what you say here on your blog is very good for me as an encouragement to speak and also as a possible text to use. I sense the LORD saying that it isn't about who we are when we are on top, ie, when we are the successful coach of a big program, it is who we are when things are down… how you look after a loss… when things are tough. I've got to develop it further, but I wanted to say that God used this to help a fellow pastor several states away with something that he wasn't feeling very "able" to do.
Grace to you,
Pastor Bill
Pastor Bill, I will pray God blesses this activity beyond your wildest imagination!
Many times through my life with God, I have gone to Him and said, "I have no knowledge, no understanding, and no wisdom–please give me Your knowledge, Your understanding, and Your wisdom." Then I take time to think through what I want to do. I also will knock at doors, but I won't push them open. If it is God's wisdom for me to do something, He will make the way for me.
Good wisdom.
I have learned that when God leads us into something, it is because He knows we have what it takes to do it. The reasons you mention for not doing it, and all others, are lies from our enemy who is constantly at work to stop us from becoming who God designed us to be.
When presented with an opportunity or tragedy, I no longer make agreements like – "I can't do this.", "I've failed at this so many times.", "Why me?" – Now I ask "What do you have for me in this Father?". Knowing that whether tragedy or opportunity He is revealing to me that I have what it takes to handle it. He is leading me on a journey to become who He designed me to be.
I so agree. He always has a plan…and it is perfectly designed. Thanks!
My excuse is that I really don't know what the vision is God has prepared for me. You can lump it into failure if you wish but the last few times I thought God was telling me to do something it ended very badly and was obviously my wants instead of His wants. So now I've been beaten down so much that I just don't trust what I'm feeling is from Him. Really don't want to waste months or years of my life on something that I don't know is from Him. I wasted enough of my life on what I wanted.
One thing for sure–God wants you to know and experience His absolute love for you. Everything else is secondary to that. Concentrate on loving God with all that you have and loving your neighbor as yourself, and everything else will work out. Sometimes, I think we forget that the being comes before the doing.
Absolutely. 100% agreed.
Jason, I'm praying He gives you a fresh vision!