I have a confession to make. Before I sit down to write my blog posts, I get nervous. Actually, when I sit down to begin any new writing project, I doubt myself. The thoughts that run on repeat through my mind sound a lot like this:

What if I sit down to write, and I don’t have anything to say?

What if I run out of words?

What if I run out of ideas?

What if I put my soul down onto the page, and everyone hates it?!

I know these sound a little dramatic, but this is the pattern of thinking I’ve developed before I set out to accomplish what I know God has called me to do, which is to write His heart onto a page for you. After becoming more self-aware of this pattern in my writing life, I noticed that this thinking has bled into other areas of my life; my marriage, my job, and my friends. 

What if they don’t like me?

What if I’m awkward?

What if I’m not enough?

What if I’m not able to accomplish what’s expected of me?

Please raise your hand if you feel this same struggle in certain areas of your life, Sister! Well, I’m here to tell you today that this way of thinking diminishes the power of God within us. When we start to go down the “what if” rabbit hole, we’re shifting our focus from God to ourselves. When our thinking becomes centered on how we’re going to accomplish the race set before us, and not on the Spirit of God who enables us, we become stuck in the roots of fear. 

But, do you know who else felt unqualified to do what God had set before him? Our friend, Moses. Take a look at Moses’ response to God after God instructs Moses to free the Israelites out of Pharaoh’s hands in Egypt.

 Moses answered God, “But why me? What makes you think that I could ever go to Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 

“I’ll be with you,” God said. “And this will be the proof that I am the one who sent you: When you have brought my people out of Egypt, you will worship God right here at this very mountain.” 

Then Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the People of Israel and I tell them, ‘The God of your fathers sent me to you’; and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ What do I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I-AM-WHO-I-AM. Tell the People of Israel, ‘I-AM sent me to you.'” – Exodus 3:11-14 (MSG)

Why me?

In other words, how in the world am I supposed to do this?! 

How many times have you had a Moses sized reaction to God when He’s set a task before you that seemed so far out of your comfort zone that you wanted to run and hide? I have been there many times. In fact, I probably have those moments every single day if I sit down to think about it. 

Father, what makes you think that I am qualified to do this?

Do you notice how God answered Moses? “I’ll be with you.”  In other words, get your eyes up off of yourself and look at Me; the only One powerful and mighty enough to qualify you for what I’ve called you to do. 

God’s response to Moses brings me sweet, grace-filled relief, Sister. Because when God calls us to do something larger than ourselves, He never leaves us to do the work alone. It is His strength within us that equips us to face the “why me?” moments of life. It is Him alone that qualifies us to do what we feel like we are unqualified for. 

I also love that Moses doesn’t question God once within this passage, but twice. First, Moses asks God, why me? Then, Moses asks God, what the heck am I supposed to say to everyone who looks at me like I’m a crazy person?!  God’s response is epic, friend; you tell them, I Am sent you. You tell them that the King above all Kings and the Lover of your soul sent you to do His good work and bring Him glory. 

At the end of the day, what we are called to do isn’t nearly as important as Who called us to do it. 

We were created to bring God glory and honor in everything we do, Sister. So when He calls us to move, or take a stand, or to a season of life that seems uncertain, remember that the heavyweight ultimately falls on Him because He wouldn’t have called us to it if He knew we couldn’t do it. We are only required to go where He leads and dedicate our lives to trusting Him with our paths. The rest falls on God’s shoulders!  It isn’t up to us to stress and worry over how we get from point A to point B. Leave the why, how, and outcome to Him and follow His lead. 

I Am Who I Am.

I am faithful. 

I am constant. 

I am never-changing. 

And because He is the Great I Am, and His Spirit dwells within us, that alone qualifies us to step out and go where He calls with the confidence of someone who knows her Heavenly Father goes before her.

Xoxo,