Ever Feel Not Good Enough?

Philippians 4:13
I can do all this through him who gives me strength. 

Deuteronomy 31:6-8
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Ever feel inadequate or afraid? I've been writing and posting devotions on my blog for more than seven years. Each time I put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, a feeling of incompetence sweeps over me. The dread of "not good enough" stymies my words. Then frustration sets in and my thoughts dissipate into a wisp of smoke and blow away. If inadequacy isn't enough, sometimes I'm afraid I'm not writing the words God wants me to. I feel like I am not listening close enough to him. Yet, I keep at it. I write and pray and pray and write. God knows my heart. He understands where I've been and knows where I'm going.

God knew Joshua, too. He understood that he'd need to give Joshua a lot of encouragement. If you read through the end of Deuteronomy and the beginning of the book of Joshua, you'll see that God tells Joshua over and over to be strong and courageous. God doesn't say this because he thinks Joshua is inadequate. He says it because he knows without doubt that Joshua is the man for the job. He's called him to replace Moses.

Our Lord invites us to work for him, he calls us to serve. He reminds us to work with our hands and make a living. And in all of those things, he equips us. God pours over us the tools we need. That's why I believe the words of Paul. " I can do all this through him who gives me strength." All this which Jesus encourages me to do.

My prayer is to be strong and courageous, no matter what my circumstances. To not hold back, but to move forward for Christ. 

I Know He Watches Over Me

Deuteronomy 31:7-8
Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the presence of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into the land that the Lord swore to their ancestors to give them, and you must divide it among them as their inheritance. The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Moses was a hundred and twenty years old. He'd lived an incredible life for God, and he was ready to turn the reigns over to Joshua. God had told Moses he couldn't cross into the promised land with the people of Israel. He had to pass the reigns to someone younger. Moses could have been sad, angry, or frustrated because he wasn't going to finish the journey with his people. He certainly could have felt discouraged. But instead, he encouraged his protégé, Joshua. Moses removed the fear factor and encouraged him to" be strong and courageous." Why could he do that with confidence? Because he knew God had been with him and the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. He knew in his heart that God kept his promises.

As I read the story of Moses and the Israelites I'm overwhelmed by the thought of wandering and waiting. Can you imagine meandering around in a place you didn't want to be for forty years? Waiting on the promise the Lord made and wondering when you could move on? I may not be in the Israelites situation, but I do wander and wonder. Life throws curve balls, dumps troubles on me, and frustrates me. But I know God has my back, he has a plan, and he's always with me. "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Praise God for his constant encouragement!

I love the song, His eye is on the Sparrow, a song filled with God's encouragement. I can sing God's praise no matter the circumstances, even when I get discouraged. Because I know if God cares for the birds of the air, he certainly cares for and loves me and you. Isn't this a wonderful promise!