Doubts

Take a look at Exodus 3 and 4. This is when God calls Moses to go back to Egypt to bring His people out of slavery. Look closely at how Moses responds to God:

But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" Exodus 3:11 ("But God, I'm not qualified.")

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'what is His name?' Then what shall I tell them?" Exodus 3:13 ("But God, I don't have all the answers.")

Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The Lord did not appear to you'?" Exodus 4:1 ("But God, it might not be easy.")

Moses said to the Lord, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." Exodus 4:10 ("But God, I'm not a good public speaker. I might make a fool of myself.")

But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." ("Once again God... I don't think I'm qualified.")

Essentially, God's answer to each of these arguments is that He will be with Moses. Too often, when God starts calling us to do something for Him, we think about the probability of success from the perspective of our own abilities. We forget that God is with us and He has all abilities. I'm just as guilty of this as anyone. Stepping out into a new area of service requires faith… and succeeding requires humility and surrender to make it a work of God. In the end, the act of service blesses others… and the servant is blessed by a closer relationship and better understanding of utter dependence on God.

I think back to a men's ministry meeting over 2 years ago now. Some of the ministry leaders were talking about a small group of men who were fasting every Wednesday. They asked if anybody was interested in helping these men expand the group. I remember raising my hand. Yet like a split personality, I also remember silently yelling at myself, "What are you thinking?!? You can't write!! Besides, you can barely fast for 24 minutes… much less 24 hours. Where are you going to find topics? You are getting way in over your head...". I thank God for pushing me through those doubts. I have learned way more from leading this list than I could ever verbalize.

So this week, we are praying about our doubts. Is there something God is calling you to do that you keep talking yourself out of? Do it and you might find that the thing God was doing all along, was a change in you.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob