Stones of Inadequacy: The Enemy's Tool-God's Design

As I sit to write this, I am at the cross-roads of Inadequacy and Trust.

It's a familiar place that I find myself in more often that I'd like to admit. I wish I could tell you that I have never taken the Inadequacy route, but that would be a lie. In many ways that path is easier to travel and far more familiar. 

You see, I am a writer; it is one of the many things God has called me to do. I have tried to avoid it, walk away from it, and even spent years denying it...but it is always there. I identify with the struggle Jeremiah faced as he tried to stifle what God had called him to do. 

"But if I say I'll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!", (Jeremiah 20:9, NLT)

The words burn inside of me and I have to get them out. As I step forward in an attempt to take the obedient and faithful path of Trust , the enemy is waiting there hurling stones that are painful reminders that I am  inadequate, not good enough, and a failure because I am not skilled in the "craft of writing". 

Pixabay image: not my daughter's paper. 

These stones came full force tonight as I sat down to help my daughter with her school work. I spent an hour helping her consistently fail an assignment about discerning the difference between Adjectives and Adverbs. Even though we giggled and made light of it as we took to the internet in an attempt to find resources; those stones began to weigh heavy on my heart and mind. 

The familiar echos of "You aren't good enough", "No one will read what you write" or the big one, "Your writing can't be used for God because you don't know how to do it correctly" started taunting me. 

As I sat down to write my originally planned

post,"Yesterday's Stones: Stealing Today's Joy", I felt the familiar pangs of not being good enough grip my heart and threaten to paralyze the words that burn in my bones. What will I do with that? Will I slink down the path of Inadequacy, or will I lay those stones down at the feet of Jesus and trust that God knew what He was doing when He called me to write?

"God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world (things counted as nothing at all), and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God." (1:27-29, NLT)

As I use the Word of God as I compass to guide me to which path I will take, I am encouraged by other people God used who may have struggled with stones of inadequacy.

• Abraham was old... Genesis 17

• Jacob was a liar... Genesis 27:19

• Leah was considered ugly... Genesis 29:17  

• Joseph was abused... Genesis 37: 24-36

• Moses stuttered...Exodus 6:12-14

• Gideon was afraid... Judges 6:21-23

• Rahab was a prostitute... Joshua 2:1

• David had an affair and was a murderer... 2 Samuel 11:3-27

• Naomi was a widow... Ruth 1:3

In reading the stories of these people, it seems as if God used their stones of inadequacy to pave the way for Him to do some pretty amazing things! Since He is the same today as He was then, I can rest assured that He wants to use my many deficits to accomplish His greater plan. My job is to be obedient and release those stones to Him so he can pave the way.

What areas do you struggle with feeling inadequate? The bible is clear that God intentionally uses our short comings to bring people to the knowledge of who He is.  Will you join with me today in trusting God with the stones of our inadequacies? 

Dear God, We recognize that You use our inadequacies to show us who you are. We embrace what the world would see as our shortcomings and allow you to use them for Your glory. In Jesus name we pray ~Amen