
You are not enough. And that’s okay.
Sarah G | 3 min read
Self-doubt. Inadequacy. Not-enoughness. Sound familiar?
Whether you’re 17 or 70, this seems to be a universal part of the human condition that never seems to go away.
Even one of Israel’s greatest leaders, Moses, suffered from it.
When God told Moses to tell the Israelites that He’d deliver them from their cruel Egyptian slave masters, look at how he responded:
- “They won’t trust me. They won’t listen to a word I say. They’re going to say, ‘God? Appear to him? Hardly!’” (Exodus 4:1 MSG)
- “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now….I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” (Exodus 4:10 NLT)
Moses thought himself a clumsy speaker, and doubted that the Israelites—much less their enemy king Pharaoh—would listen to him. Even his older brother Aaron had to be his spokesperson for a while.
And on one occasion, when negotiations with Pharaoh didn’t go so well, Moses got frustrated and blamed God: “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!” (Exodus 5:22–23 NLT) (Do his complaints sound familiar to your own?)
But still. But still. That didn’t stop the Lord from using Moses mightily in eventually delivering the Israelites. If you read his story in Exodus, you’ll see how he continued to boldly tell Pharaoh multiple times, “Let my people go!”, and negotiated with the king throughout the ten plagues that the Lord sent upon Egypt.
Impressive for someone who called himself a stutterer and stammerer, eh.
And eventually, upon the Lord’s direction, Moses picked up his staff, raised his hand over the Red Sea, and God parted it to allow the Israelites to pass through on dry land, and escape Pharaoh’s pursuing chariots. You have to check out this mind-blowing story in Exodus 14.
Even though Pharaoh’s armies still chased them into the sea, the Lord told Moses to raise his hand over the sea again when the Israelites had reached the other side safely. The seawaters then rushed back together and drowned Pharaoh’s entire army. (Exodus 14:26)
All this, when Moses was 80 years old.
Does this story of a flawed man who was still mightily used by God encourage you? Even just before Moses split the Red Sea upon God’s directive, he was still said to be crying out to God because the Israelites, seeing that Pharaoh’s armies were in hot pursuit, asked him, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness?” (Exodus 14:11, 15)
From the first day the Lord called him till he breathed his last, Moses was always aware (and perhaps sheepish or embarrassed) about his weaknesses as a leader. But this was a man of whom the Lord said when he died at 120, that no prophet has arisen in Israel like him, whom the Lord knew face to face. (Deuteronomy 34:10 NASB)
Perhaps growth in our Christian walk is really about this: Growing more aware of our inadequacy, but also knowing that those feelings of inadequacy cannot stand in the way of God using us to do great things for Him.
As the Lord told Paul, another great leader in the Bible—My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected, completed, and shows itself most effectively in your weakness.” (see 2 Corinthians 12:9 AMP)
Knowing you are weak doesn’t have to make you feel discouraged with yourself, but it can encourage you to discover the Lord’s strength and how much you can depend on Him to be enough where you cannot.
You have a God who loves you and wants to provide for you.
Will you allow Him to be more than enough for all your not-enoughs today?
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Let God fill us up with grace in areas where we lack, because when He does it….people wont believe it.
Amen
Yes the feeling of financial lack and helplessness in situations where no solutions seem to be found is in our lives at present. I ask Lord Jesus Christ for his favour and grace to solve the problems in my life.Amen
In my life too! Amen!
This is so encouraging. Thank you!
God has done some amazing things in my life and continues to do amazing things. Thank you Lord Jesus for saving a Wretch like me, You sacrifice has saved more people than anyone can count. You have saved my life on more than one account throughout my life and I know I will continue to live a life you died to give me. In Jesus name, Amen.
Wonderful just enjoy the brief messages at always the right moments thank you Our Lord bless you greatly amen
Thank you for this encouraging and timely message. It is good to be reminded that God is for me and loves me as I am in Jesus’s name, Amen.
Always perfect timing. All my flaws which are so numerous, try to enable you into self doubt, self pity and hopelessness, Thank You Jesus for once again lifting me up and out of despair. Thanks to the decibel team for encouragement.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, VERY ENCOURAGING. NEED TO BE REMINDED “DAILY” THAT HIS STRENGTH IS MOST EFFECTIVE IN MY WEAKNESS. I FEEL THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS ON MY BEHALF. BLESS YOU.
Just what I needed to hear right now.
As a recently retired man of 67, seeking to pursue my God given destiny and dreams.
Thank you ABBA FOR THE REMINDER OF HOW MUCH YOU LOVE ME.EVEN WHEN I AM WEAK,YOU ARE ALWAYS STRONG. SO I DON’T HAVE TO BE. YOU ARE POWERFUL, SO I DON’T HAVE TO BE.ALL I HAVE TO BE IS GRACEFUL IN THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST. ALL I HAVE TO DO IS REST. R A P H A !!!!!! THANK YOU?.
All these messages seem to be coming to me at the PERFECT TIME. Thank you so much for all this and AMEN! I receive your more-than-enough, Daddy Lord
Sarah what encouraging words and a great reminder of God’s awesomeness and grace. For months now I have been in financial straights, my daughter had a baby out of wedlock and can’t afford daycare, so I have gone out to take care of my grandson and neither of us have savings to rely on but I am relying on and believing in our Lord and Savior Christ and the Holy Spirit to provide me with wisdom and a financial breakthrough . Thank God for you and your words which will bless so many
Thank you for these messages they are speaking to the very root of my problems, and giving me real answers that I will use!
Sarah, thank you!! Recalling about that is God does not need “ideal”, it is very reassuring and helps to accept himself without excessive demands.