How should we respond when God calls us to roles we feel unprepared for? Setting the Scene “Saul answered, ‘Am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel? And isn’t my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? So why do you say such a thing to me?’” (1 Samuel 9:21) Saul is stunned that God would single out someone from the smallest tribe and the least family. His instinctive reaction—“Why me?”—mirrors the very moment many of us experience when God assigns a task we feel ill-equipped to handle. Facing Our Own Inadequacy • Recognize the natural feeling. God-given assignments often expose weakness so that His strength is unmistakable (2 Corinthians 12:9). • Identify the root: fear of failure, fear of people, lack of experience. Name it, don’t nurse it. • Remember: feeling unprepared does not equal disqualification. In fact, it can be the very sign that God is at work (2 Corinthians 3:5). God’s Pattern of Choosing the Least Likely • Moses: “Who am I…?” (Exodus 3:11). • Gideon: “My clan is the weakest… I am the least…” (Judges 6:15). • Jeremiah: “I am only a child!” (Jeremiah 1:6). • Mary: “How will this be…?” (Luke 1:34). • The Twelve: fishermen, a tax collector, zealots—ordinary men entrusted with an extraordinary gospel. God continually demonstrates 1 Corinthians 1:27: “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise…” Practical Steps When the Call Comes 1. Acknowledge the call aloud. Verbal agreement settles the heart. 2. Seek confirmation in Scripture; God’s voice never contradicts His Word. 3. Invite wise, godly counsel. The body of Christ discerns together (Proverbs 15:22). 4. Take the first small act of obedience—however modest. Faith grows by doing, not by deliberating (James 2:17). 5. Depend on daily provision, not stockpiled confidence. “Give us this day our daily bread” applies to courage, too. 6. Guard humility. Saul’s early modesty later gave way to pride; staying low keeps us usable (1 Samuel 15:17). Encouragement from Jesus’ Promise • Matthew 28:20: “I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” • Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” • 1 Thessalonians 5:24: “The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.” God does not merely assign; He accompanies and accomplishes. Key Takeaways to Remember • God’s call often targets the unlikely, highlighting His power, not ours. • Feeling unprepared is a prompt to lean on divine adequacy, not a signal to decline. • Obedience starts with a single step—say yes, move forward, watch God supply. • Stay humble, stay dependent, stay available; God equips those He selects. |
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