Are you being held back by certain anxieties and fears?
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, there has been so much fear and anxiety. We are afraid for our and our loved ones’ health and well-being. We are anxious and fearful about losing our jobs or failing to pay rent. We are concerned about our children’s education. We are worried about how the pandemic will affect our relationships in the long-term. It remains to be seen how we will fare after the pandemic.
And then there is the fear of inadequacy.
Our society stresses self-actualization, self-confidence, and, to some extent, self-aggrandizement, most often through social media. The sad truth is that many of us, most especially millennials, those who remain unfulfilled in our careers and those struggling financially and emotionally and spiritually, suffer from feelings of inadequacy. We are fearful about making decisions, plans, and changes that impact our lives. We become doubtful about our capabilities. We lose confidence and motivation, which makes us less likely to accomplish all the things God wants us to do.
Learn from the story of Moses
If you ever struggle with feelings of inadequacy, turn to your Bible and reread the remarkable story of Moses. Moses, one of the most outstanding leaders in history, can relate to your fear of inadequacy.
When God called him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses responded, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” (Exodus 3:11 NIV)
It is not that Moses did not understand God’s power or believe that God would equip him for the task. Owing to his personal experiences, Moses simply saw himself as inadequate. He was separated from his parents as a baby and grew up in the house of Pharaoh. He later discovered his minority status – his Hebrew heritage. As a child, he was raised as a prince while his own family and people were being oppressed. Moses had a tremendous fear of inadequacy rather than lack of leadership or faith. He told God, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” (Exodus 4:13 NIV)
Of course, God, being God, was not done with him. We know what happened next. So after receiving further assurance – and miracles – from God, as well as a blessing from his father-in-law, Moses stepped out of his comfort zone to bring his people – God’s people – out of bondage in Egypt. From being a shepherd, Moses roses to became a liberator and leader of the Israelites. He took to heart God’s promise to him, “…I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (Exodus 4:12 NIV)
Sitting on Jesus’s lap
One’s struggles with inadequacy begin in early childhood when we receive negative messages – such as criticisms, complaints, teasing, bullying, anger, etc. – from parents, teachers, peers, and other people. Negative reciprocity is the negative self-perception or a negative view of oneself that causes us to believe we are unloved, unaccepted, and incapable. And comparing ourselves to others fuels one’s fears of inadequacy (and worse, envy and jealousy).
Note that feeling inadequate about yourself is never a bad thing. The problem lies in the way we handle our feelings of inadequacy. Do you feel bad about not measuring up to society or people’s standards?
As children of God, we should realize that we are inadequate. We all are. We are not better than anyone else. None of us measure up to God’s standards, and we all know we are not good enough, so we (should) ask the Lord Jesus Christ to make us right with God.
Jesus is the way to the Father (John 14:6). Apart from Jesus, we are useless and unworthy. With Jesus, we are so much more, so by sitting on Jesus’s lap, we earn the fantastic privilege of being a child of God. We gain the benefit of intimacy with God. By sitting on Jesus’s lap, we achieve the right that we can be used by God, even in our weaknesses, for His works and His people, just like He did with Moses.
We belong to God. We should simply be who we are as God made us be, inadequate that we trust and depend on God more and allow Jesus Christ to work in us and through us. We do not have to be what people expect us to be. We just need to be who we are in Jesus, and God will use our feelings of inadequacy for His greater glory.
Alex Writes 