Not long ago, I had the opportunity to meet with a group of church planters to hear their stories. As I sat in that room listening to them share, I began to hear a pattern. Although they all came from different places in life and had been called in different ways, all their stories had two things in common. They felt convicted that the Lord was calling them to church planting, and they felt inadequate or ill-equipped to carry out this calling.

This experience allowed me to reflect upon my own story. Although my calling is not to be a church planter, I’ve often felt inadequate and ill-equipped for what I do believe God is calling me to do. But I now believe that this is the point. We are not, in our own ability, equipped for God’s call. We must rely on him and, in our weakness, we will see his strength.

We’re each here for a purpose. In Scripture, we see God call Moses, who thinks he can’t do what God is asking of him. And indeed, he can’t. But God is the One who equips Moses for the part he plays in God’s story. Likewise, God is the One who calls us and he is the One who will equip us. Feeling like we’re inadequate for what God wants us to do is a good thing. It causes us to humbly come before the Lord and allow him to work in and through us.

Four Reminders in Our Inadequacy

Understanding that God calls and equips us doesn’t mean that everything will be smooth sailing. We’ll continue to pursue autonomy and self-glory, and will often believe we’re self-sufficient. We must constantly remind ourselves that these things are not reality. Autonomy and self-sufficiency are lies saying that we can do all things on our own. In reality, we are created beings—we need God to preserve us and give us life. All glory goes to God who creates and sustains us.

Feeling like we’re inadequate for what God wants us to do is a good thing. It causes us to humbly come before the Lord and allow him to work in and through us.
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We confidently step into God’s call for our lives by laying them at the feet of Jesus and reminding ourselves of what Scripture says about who we are and who God is. Here are four reminders for us to hold near to our hearts when we feel we just can’t do what God is asking of us:

  1. 1 Corinthians 5:21: “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus lived the perfect life, in our place, so we do not have to worry about whether we measure up or not.
  2. Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Since our identity is no longer ours but is in Christ, we can step into our calling secure in who we are.
  3. Romans 3:23–25a: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” All of our failures and shortcomings are covered by the blood of Christ. We can rest in that.
  4. 2 Corinthians 12:9: “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” We do not need to be strong. In our weakness, we (and others) get to witness the strength of God.

God Is Our Strength

There are many distractions in this world, and it’s easy for us to find reasons why we can’t or shouldn’t be doing what God is calling us to do. We combat these distractions by going back to Scripture, over and over again, to remind ourselves of who God is, who we are, and what our Father has promised.

God hasn’t promised us easy, but he has promised that we will not be alone (Matt. 28:20). He gives us his Word, his Spirit, and his people.
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It may not always be easy. God hasn’t promised us easy, but he has promised that we will not be alone (Matt. 28:20). He gives us his Word, his Spirit, and his people. The journey he calls each of us to—be it church planting, ministry leadership, parenting, work, suffering, or a combination of those things—is for our good, the good of those around us, and his glory. Our gracious God will go with us. When he calls us, he equips us.

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