Feelings of Inadequacy

Read: Matthew 14

"Jesus replied, 'They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.'" Matthew 14:16

Examine:

The disciples looked at the needs of the people, compared them to the resources they had available, and reached the conclusion that the people needed to be sent away to feed themselves. Jesus took this opportunity to teach them a valuable lesson regarding their ministry. Their ministry to people would be to take what they had, bring it Jesus, trust Him to multiply it, and then minister to the spiritual and physical needs of the people around them.

Apply:

There are times that I feel inadequate to meet the needs of the people in my life. Sometimes I do not have anything to give because I am tired. Certain seasons seem to demand more of me than they put back into me. As a result I become tired, empty, and needy. Other times the issues at hand are beyond my knowledge and power. My understanding of scripture only goes so far. The power of my faith has self-imposed limits and bounds. There are questions and challenges life creates that are just bigger than me.

In moments like these I find myself at the edge of my faith. What I do with these moments is critical. My response will either increase my faith or shrink it. If I allow my emotions to be overwhelmed by the circumstances then I will withdraw and see my faith shrink. If I allow Jesus to overwhelm my emotions then I will likely experience something I could not do on my own and see my faith increase.

Pray:

Following You means walking into the fire. Your pathway for my life will carry me to places that I do not want to go, force me to face things I can not handle, and stretch the boundaries of my faith. Saying yes to You is frightening, but living it out a yes to You is amazing.

Jesus, I need to learn to trust You more. Feelings of fear, inadequacy, and timidity have far to great an impact on my life. In the midst of these life-sucking feelings I turn to You today to proudly proclaim all that is in me falls woefully short of the challenges ahead of me. I say it proudly because I know it is in these moments I get to see the God of the universe do what only He can do.

I love You Father. Your presence is my life, Your will is my passion, and Your promise is my hope. I look forward to living this day with You.