Feeling Inadequate? God Is With You

And He said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this will be a sign to you, that I have sent you: When you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, all of you shall serve God on this mountain.”

Exodus 3:12, MEV

Have you ever felt God stirring something in your heart—an idea, a step of obedience, a call—and your very first thought was, “Who am I to do that? I’m completely inadequate for this task.”

You’re not alone. I’ve felt that same wave of doubt more times than I can count, wondering if I had the skill, the courage, or even the right words to follow what God was asking.

Feeling Inadequate? Sometimes It’s Just Different, Not Difficult

Just this week I was speaking with a new author who published a wonderful resource to help others grow in their walk with God. As we chatted about ways she could share it, she commented that beginning all these additional steps was difficult but that it would get easier.

Her words hit me hard, and something within me caused my back to stiffen and my spirit to be alerted. As I considered her words and the process to which she was referring, I felt an urgency to correct the term “difficult” to “different.” The things she would do weren’t hard, but to her they were new. And her skills weren’t inadequate—they simply hadn’t been stretched this way before. They were untested.

What a powerful shift in perspective that word-adjustment was! Maybe we experience feelings of inadquacy because we are doing something different from our normal.

Feeling Inadequate? Fear of the Unknown Can Hold You Back

I think about my journey and how many times I’ve balked at the unknown. For years, friends told me, “You should start a podcast!” And my gut reaction? Absolutely not! That is too hard! I’m not skilled enough, brave enough, or polished enough. Besides, I don’t have the time, and who would want to watch it? I felt completely inadequate!

All these excuses were rooted in one thing: fear of the unknown.

But God has a way of nudging us forward, even in tiny, seemingly inconsequential steps. When I decorated my office, I created a sign for my door to let my family know if I was writing, coaching a client, or available. At the very bottom, I added one little word: Recording.

Recording? At that point, the very idea turned a billion butterflies loose in my stomach. I was nowhere near ready to commit to starting a podcast or even to tell anyone it was a thought in my head. And yet within that one written word, God was planting a seed of possibility in my heart that just needed time to grow. He knew some people needed encouragement I could never give in person—and He was preparing a way for my voice to reach them. That little word on the bottom of my door sign was my indication to God that I was willing to move if He called.

GULP. (But please don’t!)

The Lie of Feeling Inadequate: Learning from Moses

It makes me think of Moses. Oh, how I relate to him! Like Moses, I had one hundred and one reasons why I couldn’t do what God was asking—why I was inadequate for the call. But that never changed God’s mind.

In Exodus 3, God calls Moses from the burning bush to lead His people out of Egypt. And what does Moses say? “Who am I (to do this thing you’ve called me to do)?”

Sound familiar? It surely does to me! It’s one of the biggest lies the enemy throws my way which snowballs into other lies every.single.time I dare obey God: Who do you think you are? What if you fail? What if you’re not enough? You’re completely inadequate for this task!

God Sees Beyond Our Inadequacy

But notice God’s response. He doesn’t say, “Moses, you’re gifted enough, smart enough, and strong enough.” Instead, He made a promise and cast the vision of Moses’ success: “Certainly I will be with you, and this will be a sign to you, that I have sent you: When you have brought forth the people out of Egypt, all of you shall serve God on this mountain” (Exodus 3:12, MEV).

The success of God’s call on Moses’ life wasn’t dependent on Moses’ ability. It would come because of God’s presence. If Moses was willing and obedient to God’s call, there would be a great big sign that it was God’s plan, and God wanted Moses to see what success his obedience would bring.

When Feeling Inadequate, Step Bodly into God’s Plan

Sweet friend, the same is true for you.

That dream tugging at your heart, the idea you keep dismissing as too hard, too big, or too scary—it’s not about whether you’re “enough.” It’s about the God who promises to be with you every step of the way.

Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that He is “able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or imagine, according to the power that works in us” (MEV).

So let me ask you: What will success look like for you when you dare to step into what God is calling you to do? Who might be touched by your obedience? How might your life—and theirs—be transformed? Take some time to imagine your future doing what God called you to do. God gave us imagination to help shape the destiny He has planned for us, so use it to imagine with God!

Don’t let fear or comparison keep you frozen. Your calling doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. God uniquely gifted you for the very assignment He’s placed before you.

Take the step. Whisper yes. Trust Him.

And the next time the enemy whispers, “Who are you?”—you can answer with confidence: I am the one God has called, and He is with me.

A Prayer of Courage

“Lord, I confess that sometimes I feel small and unsure when You call me. But today, I choose to believe Your promise: You are with me. I don’t have to be perfect; I just have to be willing. Give me courage to take the next step, faith to silence the lies, and joy in knowing You’ve chosen me for such a time as this. Amen.”

I am the one God has called,
and He is with me.

References:

Scripture quotations marked (MEV) are taken from the Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

---

For more about faith and believing for the impossible, get Holly’s book, Believing for a Miracle available in paperback and Kindle versions on Amazon.

---

---

---