UNQUALIFIED BUT CALLED
- DAY 15
- Fear File: Moses
- Scripture: Exodus 3-4 (please read both chapters)
Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
exodus 3:9-10
Imposter Syndrome.
Have you ever heard of it? A quick google search will tell you that it is a psychological occurrence in which an individual doubts their skills, abilities, competence, talents, knowledge, or qualifications. It is a persistent FEAR that they will be perceived as unqualified or exposed as fraud.
A person with imposter syndrome will never feel like they are good enough or qualified enough. They could be the smartest and the most hardworking and still feel inadequate. People like this make excuses, avoid responsibilities, take the blame even when it is not their fault, and rarely see anything good about themselves. You can tell such people by the way they talk. Studies show that 70% of people have dealt with imposter syndrome at some point in their life. So this fear is pretty common.
In our fear files today, we have Moses in the burning bush encounter of Exodus 3 and 4. At this stage of his life, he had been a hidden baby, an adopted Egyptian prince, a murderer, a fugitive on the run from Pharoah, and at present, a shepherd. In our text, God is sending him to go lead the enslaved Israelites out of bondage into freedom. And like anyone else with his background, he felt grossly unqualified, inadequate, and unable to do what God was calling him to do. And he expressed this in these 5 responses/excuses to God:
- Who Am I that I should go?
- Who is sending me?
- What if no one believes me?
- I am not good with words
- Send somebody else
Forget Your Résumé
When Moses said these things, he was probably looking at his résumé What he (and everyone else that feels unqualified in the face of a divine assignment) failed to realize was that every God-given assignment will make you feel somewhat unqualified. Because it always comes exceedingly, abundantly, above all you can ask, or think/imagine.
God doesn’t operate on your level. His purpose can never fit your human MIND size, it can never fit your box. So if you are looking at your ability, your skills, and your qualifications, you are looking in the wrong place. It is the Christ in you that strengthens and enables you that you should be looking at. It is the spirit of God that enables you to do according to his pleasure that you should be looking at.
If you had the ability all on your own, you wouldn’t walk by faith, you will walk by strength. And God does not operate outside of faith. (see Hebrews 11:1-2)
Lastly, God doesn’t see qualifications the way we do. Oftentimes, the thing that you consider a disqualification is the very reason He is calling you. So that you can be a testimony and prove to people with similar stories that God still has greatness ahead of them.
You Are Qualified
Come to think of it, who else but Moses was qualified to go? He was born a slave but by adoption became, not only free but royalty. Nurtured by a slave but raised as a prince. Exposed to both extremes of the prevalent social strata. Royal in his experience, slave in his blood. He probably struggled with the dual nature of his identity. And the murder of an Egyptian by his hands showed his compassion towards his people and his desire to see them free. See, God was equipping him from birth and he didn’t even know it.
Beloved, I challenge you to examine your journey in the light of your calling. Could it be that God has hidden your qualification somewhere in your journey? All that you went through, even the ones He didn’t orchestrate and the ones that caused pain; the enemy thought it would destroy you, but God turned it into a qualification for your destiny. All that you’ve been through was equipping you for destiny.
Over the next few days, we will look into the 5 responses/excuses of Moses listed earlier. Till then, I pray that God will enlighten the eyes of your understanding, so that you may know the power at work in you. That you will come into the awareness of the spirit at work in you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Take a moment to watch the accompanying video here
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