Gideon felt too weak for this task. The Jewish elders he sent spoke highly of him and how he had helped the Jewish people. Jeremiah said, "Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'Now, I have put my words in your mouth. We question our worth and whether He knows what Hes doing. He was in complete control. Joshua, Moses Jeremiah, Solomon, Paul, and Timothy are six characters we know from the scriptures. David then devised a plan to have Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, killed on the battlefield. Do you feel inferior because you don't have a pretty face or perfect figure? In the presence of all the people, she explained why she touched Him and told of her instant healing. It hurts to see them ignored, and sometimes our mom instincts take over by stepping in and giving a little nudge to the front of the line. And once we remembered that we were warriors, once we honored the pain and left it on the side of the road, we moved ahead. He was ninety-nine years old when his wife Sarah finally bore him a son, Isaac. Like Sarah, we struggle to trust Gods plan because He can do things beyond our human understanding. Some of the greatest men and women of faith battled discouragement. Evidence appeared to him in the form of Jesus showing up. Our limitations dont limit God. would meet this woman there, he waited alone until she arrived around noontime. Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died,(John 11:21). I was afraid - afraid I wasn't capable of doing a good job. When we dont understand what God is doing, its easy to feel inadequate. He uses our weaknesses to lead us to depend on Him, and then through our weaknesses, we experience His strength. This account reminds us that God understands our doubts and fears. But this doesnt really comfort Moses. Go in peace (Luke 8:43-48). God would send him where he wanted him to go, and God would tell him the words to say. But the Message came And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that . Why should she believe three strangers? From there, Thomas believed and later ended up martyred for Christ's sake. Mike Livingstone is a content editor at Lifeway for Explore the Bible resources . I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,' declares the LORD" (Jet 1:11-15). And in the end, God spared Isaacs life and blessed Abraham abundantly. When someone responds to an article saying it helped or encouraged them, I know its because of Gods grace. 1. God is the One who makes us want to do His will, and He gives us the ability to perform it. FullFeatherFinery. Does the responsibility of raising your children to be good and godly stress you out? Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. })(); function doGTranslate(lang_pair) {if(lang_pair.value)lang_pair=lang_pair.value;if(lang_pair=='')return;var lang=lang_pair.split('|')[1];if(typeof ga=='function'){ga('send', 'event', 'GTranslate', lang, location.pathname+location.search);}var plang=location.pathname.split('/')[1];if(plang.length !=2 && plang != 'zh-CN' && plang != 'zh-TW' && plang != 'hmn' && plang != 'haw' && plang != 'ceb')plang='en';if(lang == 'en')location.href=location.protocol+'//'+location.host+gt_request_uri;else location.href=location.protocol+'//'+location.host+'/'+lang+gt_request_uri;}, Translated into over 15 world languages and growing, Home - The Bible - Bible Characters - You Are Not Alone: Bible Characters Who Felt Inadequate and How They Overcame It. Susan Aken writes devotions and articles for Wholly Loved Ministries, is an Oklahoma native whos lived in Nebraska since 1987 and has been in public education for over thirty years. 9 Christians You Don't Want to Sit Beside on Sunday Morning, 7 Ways Anxiety Dominates the Christian Mind, 7 Tests to See if Your Worship Is Truly Christian or Pagan. Rebelling and refusing to do what God has called you to do has consequences. Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midians hand, Gideon responded, saying, Pardon me, my lord, but how can I save Israel? When youre feeling down on yourself, remember that God called Gideon even though he felt inadequate. 20 J. Others said they simply towered over people with no weird hybridization of DNA. He sees us as fully capable beings, continually lifting us up as his own: " It is through faith that all of you are God's children in union with Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:26, GNTD). Repeat. Especially when we consider what God ultimately calls him to do as judge of Israel: defeat the Midianites (an enemy that had taken over Israel). Has God called you to something daunting? Once we see someone else with something we want, we find a way to make it happen, even if its not Gods plan for us. You may feel like you're not strong enough or smart enough or pretty enough. Remember that God can use anyone for His purposes, no matter how unqualified they feel. Numbers 13:1-14:45 ESV / 3 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful. God sent an angel to Gideon, who was threshing wheat in secret so the enemy couldnt steal it. And they overcame their feelings of inadequacy. Insisting we should be strong by ourselves is the true weakness. Next, the Lord told Jeremiah the messages he would bring: Jeremiah was to preach judgment and restoration. What if something bad happens? He provides the encouragement and the help we need to persevere. FREE delivery Tue, Feb 28 on $25 of items shipped by Amazon. General Revelation Does Not Accurately Interpret the Truths It Reveals. Then the Lord said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh? (Jeremiah 1:6) Apparently, the young man Timothy also felt inadequate. As a result God used Gideon to show His glory and defeat the Midianites. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. But one woman, it seems, felt unworthy to come to Him face to face. Control and comparison often work together seamlessly to infiltrate our hearts. He asked, "And who is equal to such a task? Stop Comparing Yourself With Others See, in the time of the judges, Israel had fallen into a cyclical pattern. Biblical giants also experienced discouragement. Make learning fun with felt playtime boards by Betty Lukens! var ca_flag = false; For a long time, I felt like I was being called to serve on the worship team, but I felt inadequate and unqualified. She enjoys time with family, reading, photography, movies, walking in nature, and a nice cup of tea. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you (Jeremiah 1:7-8). This is a wonderful, hope-filled promise. We may not always understand His ways, but we can trust that He is good and His purposes will be accomplished in the end. She hadnt heard it for herself. Her past may have caused the other women to shun her. God is with you and will equip you for whatever He calls you to do. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Now, she struggled to hold onto hope. He was often discouraged and depressed. You may feel like youre not strong enough or smart enough or pretty enough. BBE. David is a Bible character who is no stranger to hard times. I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count, (Gen. 16:10). Rebekah had no intention of letting Jacob get pushed to the back of the line while Esau moved to the front. 26.10.2017 - kerst - this site has EXCELLENT printable figures (sizable) for telling these Bible stories - use it. He was the least of his family and tribe, yet God called him to do great things. Jeremiah answered, Alas, Sovereign LORDI do not know how to speak; I am too young (Jeremiah 1:5-6). What Does the Bible Say About Circumcision. The following points need to be made: 1. Here's what the Lord said to Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jer. . I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Phil. James wrote, But He gives us more grace. This story shows us that timid leaders need to trust in Gods plan. You are loved. Gods Word says to lean not on your own understanding, (Proverbs 3:5). The planner in me dislikes not knowing. But say the word, and my servant will be healed (Luke 7:6-7). I want to be able to cross out one item at a time on my to-do list while smiling with satisfaction. While I agree with their assessment of Christ's ultimate leadership . As a young man, he was called by God to carry a message of judgment to the people of Judah. Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. Only 17 left in stock - order soon. In the midst of it all, he wrestled with God and questioned His goodness. Our capabilities, however, have nothing to do with the intrinsic value God has placed on us. Is there anyone who doesn't know the great missionary he has been? ISV, NASB. He declined at first because of his inexperience and youth, yet the Lord assured . God wanted Moses to dream again. Because while there are lots of stories in the Bible about God's people abandoning Him, there are also some notable Bible characters who felt abandoned by God. The bottom line is, God has a history of choosing messy people with problems. 13:5). He married an Ethiopian. The apostle Paul had to give him straightforward counsel to help him overcome his insecurities. 6:7). We often highlight Abraham's faith that God would give him a child, but Abraham was not perfect in keeping the faith. There were only two positives: "build" and "plant.". The reason Jeremiah didn't have to fear anyone was because God had promised His constant presence and protection, assuring him, "I will be with you and will rescue you." In our desire to have others appreciate them the way we do, we forget that God sees them right where they are. Where every possible answer seemed to make matters worse? Gods ways are not our ways. (382) $15.90. Who is the one who is victorious and overcomes the world? And the Lord heard it, (Numbers 12:2). God has given to us the awesome responsibility of living and giving the good news of salvation to a hungry world. Maybe you were told you were an unwanted baby. Then we give Him all the glory. I dont want to watch the boy die, she said, as she burst into tears,(Genesis 21:15-16). Who makes them deaf or mute? }} Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them. He said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Heb. But do we know why those feelings are at work? (Jeremiah 1:6) Apparently, the young man Timothy also felt inadequate. When Jesus was here on earth, He welcomed all sorts of peoplefishermen, tax collectors, prostitutes, housewives, rulers, and the rich and the poor. Well, as we see in the passage above, they didnt like what they saw. 20 Things You May Not Know about Moses in the Bible, For the Days You Feel Defeated: Hope from Gideons Story, 4 Heroes of the Bible Who Feared They Weren't Good Enough. 89027, You Are Not Alone: Bible Characters Who Felt Inadequate and How They Overcame It, Introduction Bible Characters Who Felt Inadequate, David: When Overwhelmed by Lifes Circumstances, Job: When Struggling With Unanswered Questions, How To Overcome A Critical Spirit And Find Joy In Your Life, 25 Uplifting Bible Verses About Depression That Helped Me Overcome, Tim Tebows New Book Shaken Deals With Overcoming Disappointments, Examples Of Impossible Situations In The Bible, Examining the Role of Faith in Bible Characters Who Wanted to Quit, 10 Bible Verses About Working Hard And Not Giving Up. Were all sinners. Martha believed Jesus was the Messiah, but did she trust? Yet God persuaded him to yield to the calling upon his life. We often give Thomas a hard time because he didn't blindly believe in the resurrection. Im not better than others and sometimes feel less than. How did he inspire? When we have Jesus inside, we have a treasure trove of truth and knowledge that flows from God. First, he tries to say that he doesnt have great oration skills. Moses also had speech problems or at least the lack of confidence to speak publicly, but God gave him Aaron so that He would fulfil God's purposes by freeing the people of Israel from the corrupt rule of Egypt and by leading them to the promised land. John. . These same principles can help us find the confidence we need to overcome our own sense of inadequacy: Jeremiah did not have to work on sermons or solicit speaking invitations. Even through unspeakable tragedy, God can ultimately be glorified. He was so afraid of not measuring up that he ran away from his calling. He showed His glory through each one and they found their strength and identity in Him. 3.1 About The Author. Scripture tells us, When the angel appeared to Gideon, he said, The Lord is with you, mighty warrior. Gideon responded, If the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?The LORD has abandoned us (Judges 6:11-13). He wept, he complained, and he accused God of deceiving him, but no matter how he felt he always came back to the promises God had made to him at his call. Gideon then obeyed and delivered his people (Judges 6 and 7). In fact, they would make him many powerful enemies. For context, Nephilim were giant people. But Jesus surprised her by engaging her in conversation. The similarities in the two sisters reactions shows us an important truth.
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