This post may contain affiliate links from Amazon.com or other companies mentioned, which means that if you purchase through them, I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and love, or think my readers will find useful. I appreciate your support
Last week I shared two sermons that helped me when I was running a little low on self-confidence. I hope you got a chance to watch them. If not, you can find them here and here.
This week I want to share a little more about what self-doubt is. Self-doubt causes you to think negatively about yourself; to question your competence, skills, and judgments. It may come from criticism from others, past failures, or simply a lack of experience. Several people in the Bible struggled with self-doubt including Moses, Gideon, and Jeremiah.
When God gave Moses his assignment to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt, he had many excuses why it shouldn’t be him, including his inability to speak well. He even asked God to choose someone else (Exodus 4:13). God found Gideon hiding in a wine press threshing wheat and called him to lead an army against the Midianites, who were oppressing Isreal. But Gideon considered himself the least of the least; his clan was the weakest in Manasseh and he was the least of his father’s house (Judges 6:15). God called Jeremiah to be a prophet to Israel and to the nations before he was even born but he thought that he was too young for the job (Jeremiah 1:6-8).
In each case, God knew better. He already knew what he had placed in each of them. He just needed to get them to see it too. Moses led the Israelites for 40 years in the wilderness and became a friend of God. With God’s help and only 300 men, Gideon routed the Midianite army of over 135,000. And because he persevered and put his trust in God, Jeremiah became one of the most accurate and well-known prophets to Israel and the nations.
It is the Lord who gives us our abilities. He knows what we are capable of better than we do. In Exodus 4:14-15, God tells Moses that He will tell him and Aaron what to say and teach them what to do. If you are doubting your ability to do what God has called you to do, know that He’s there to help you. You can trust Him to tell you what to say and teach you what to do. John 14:26 says Holy Spirit is our teacher. We can and should take that literally. Anything you don’t know how to do, Holy Spirit will teach you. Whenever you don’t know what to say, He will give you the words.
Prayer: Father, I know that you have called me to do something special, but sometimes I doubt my ability to do it. You know me better than I know myself. Help me to trust what You say about me. Help me that when I trust You and allow You to lead me, I can become all that you created me to be.
Deborah Ruck @ As Bold As THE Lion blog
Leave a Reply