The only requirement is availability
I don't take it lightly to have the opportunity to share on this blog every week. Whether one person reads the post or a thousand doesn't really matter. It is still an opportunity to sow encouragement into the life of another person, or to at least help them to stop and think about God throughout the course of their busy day. No matter what the result, I consider it a great responsibility. I try very hard not to share anything unless I believe it is something that God has placed on my heart to share.
All that being said, there are some weeks where it is just difficult to discern what God wants me to share. Maybe it is a strategic silence. Maybe God is being silent because He knows that I am not in the right mindset to write. Maybe I am just too focused on worldly things that I just cannot hear His voice. Or maybe He just wants to remind me that He can work through me even when I am not feeling like I am confident and at my best. I tend to lean towards that last explanation, because there have been many times where I did not feel like my writing was adequate enough for the week, and I received a response from someone saying that it was like God was speaking directly to them through the post.
When I went to write this week and felt as if I was receiving nothing from God to write about, I was a bit discouraged. My performance mindset kicked in, and I began wondering what I had done to upset God this week. I started thinking of all the reasons that I just wasn't worthy for Him to speak to me right now. I became angry and frustrated. I picked out random chapters in my bible looking for inspiration. I prayed. I begged. I whined. I hoped He would just give me something.
Finally, in a moment of silence, I heard the whisper, "Just stop right now and write about what is currently on your heart." This brings us to the post you are currently reading. What is the meaning of it? Why is it significant? Well, I believe the significance is that despite my insecurities, despite my shortcomings, despite a temporary lapse in confidence, I am able to pour out my heart and share this post with you in faith, believing that God can still use it to speak to you. I do not like feeling inadequate. I sure do not like feeling vulnerable when I hit the submit button for one of these posts. But despite my feelings, my God can still use me. In fact, my bible even says that His strength is made perfect in my weakness.
So I put this out to you today, believing that there are people reading this who feel the same way. God wants you to do something that you just don't feel too confident about. It is outside your comfort zone. It is outside your realm of expertise, and you just flat out do not feel adequate. I believe that I am here to remind you today that adequacy is not a requirement for work in God's Kingdom. The only requirement is availability. It's His power and His grace that brings the increase, so don't be discouraged by your feelings of inadequacy. Take solace in the fact that every man or woman who has ever done anything meaningful for God has felt the same way. Just look at that feeling of inadequacy as an affirmation that you are on the right track. Be vulnerable, put yourself out there, and trust your Heavenly Father. Then, when you see the increase, you will have no doubt that it came directly from His hand and not yours!
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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. - 2 Corinthians 12: 9