Think you aren’t qualified enough to do something God has called you to? I don’t feel qualified either.
But guess what? The Bible is littered with tons of examples of God using everyday, ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things for His kingdom.
When I started Reboot, I didn’t have any sort of formal ministry training. I just had a love for backpacking and hiking and just being outdoors. And I think helping people connect to Christ for the first time or deepen their relationship with Christ is the most important thing I can do. So, I felt strongly that God was calling me to combine the two into what is now Reboot Wilderness. But it took a step of faith to overcome my fear and make this idea a reality.
As I’ve walked through this ministry for the past couple of years, I’m continuing to learn a lot. One of the biggest lessons is that if God is calling you to do something, He’s going to provide what you need exactly when you need it. It might not look like what you think it should, but He will lead you step-by-step. However, it requires taking that first scary step where it goes from an idea that you’ll do someday when you have more time, more training, etc. to reality.
In my experience, this is the point when Satan often uses his handy tricks of self-doubt and fear. I start thinking I’m not qualified or not good enough and then I really start to overthink everything. I don’t think I’m alone with that feeling, and sometimes it is enough to scare us away and prevent us from even trying something that God is calling us to do. But the Bible is very clear that these are the types of people God loves to use.
Recently, I’ve been hit with this theme a lot in my Bible reading, as I prepare to start a weekly men’s small group lunch gathering. I think we sometimes forget the power of God when we trust Him, surrender our agendas to Him and are obedient to what He is calling us to do – whether it is something simple or something really big.
Check out these examples:
Most of the disciples were fishermen with no special education, hardly the qualification one would look for on paper when selecting candidates for spreading the Good News about Christ to the world.
When Peter and John went before the ruling council after healing a lame man in Jesus’ name at the Temple entrance, they were filled with the Holy Spirit so much that it shocked the Jewish leaders.
“The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men who had had no special training. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus.” – Acts 4:13
The prophet Amos was just a shepherd and a fig-tree grower when God called him to send a warning message to Israel and Judah.
“I am not one of your professional prophets. I certainly never trained to be one. I’m just a shepherd, and I take care of fig trees. But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, ‘Go and prophesy to my people in Israel.’” – Amos 7:14-15
Moses…
David as a child…
The list goes on….
Don’t feel qualified? You are in very good company. Take the next step and surrender that fear to God and trust Him to be faithful to what He is calling you to do.
Reboot Wilderness Adventures 