Do you have a list of goals for this new year? How confident are you that you will be able to achieve your goals?
Of course, you may have set unreasonable goals, or too many goals, or goals that aren’t consistent with the Lord’s plans for you.
But for a goal the Lord has given you, do you feel adequate to meet it?
We can use feeling inadequate as an excuse not to try.
Too young or too old?
God told Jeremiah not to use his youth as an excuse.
Do not say, “I am a youth,” because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak.(Jeremiah 1:7)
Old age isn’t an excuse either. Daniel was in his 80s when God gave him the vision of the end times. Moses was 80 when the Lord appeared to him in the burning bush.
Failed in the past?
Peter denied the Lord Jesus Christ and became a fruitful apostle.
Questionable skills?
Moses tried to get out of what the Lord wanted him to do.
Moses asked“What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say?” (Exodus 4:1)
Moses: “Please Lord, I have never been eloquent … for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (Exodus 4:10)
Then Moses got frank: Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever You will [but not me!]. (Exodus 4:13). And the anger of the LORD burned against Moses.(Exodus 4:14)
An excuse can be disobedience in disguise.
What to do If you think the Lord has given you a goal, an order, and you give reasons why you can’t:
- Remind yourself that God has prepared the good work for you, and has also prepared you for the good work.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.(Ephesians 2:10)
For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.(Philippians 2:13)
- Remind yourself that of course (of course!) you are not adequate in yourself but that God makes you adequate for what He asks.
And who is adequate for these things?(2 Corinthians 2:16)
Not that we are adequate in ourselves…but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant.(2 Corinthians 3:5-6)
- Pray! Acknowledge your own weakness and ask for the Lord’s wisdom and ability in tackling the work.
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Father, please help us know which goals are Yours for us. Please help us rely on You and Your almighty hand to do whatever it is You want. Please help us get going and keep at it in Your will.
See also You Are Adequate
