Inadequacy

[StarryEyes]

Anyone else struggle with this? So many times I don't do something because I don't feel adequate. I know I should push past those feelings, but I still struggle with it. It's hard for me to just take the initiative and do what I know I should do.. I just never feel "qualified" to do it.. any suggestions? I will be praying about it for sure.

 

[PaulDavid]

You are absolutely correct, You are inadequate in all ways and in all things.

Apart from Christ you are nothing, you are less than nothing. Apart from Christ you are less than the dirt from which you are made.

However, in Christ you can do ALL things as He strengthens you. In Christ you are free to live and you stand before the world saved by Jesus' Blood, filled with His Holy Spirit and heir to the throne of the Kingdom of Heavan as a Daughter of God and Sister in Christ.

With Christ as your savior.. you don't have to kill the Giant, you just have to toss the rock and pray for God to do the rest. With the Spirit inside of you, you don't have to knock down the walls of Jericho.. you just have to march around them. With God the Father at your back you dont have to be adequate enough to defend against the lions den, you just have to decide which one you are going to use for a pillow.

StarryEyes without God = Nothing, worth nothing, able to do nothing.
StarryEyes with God = Proverbs 31 Woman who can do anything through the power of God who fills and leads her life and whose company is desired by EVERY one and whose worth is far beyond any amount of money that can be measured.

Cheers,
PD

 

[white dove]

Is it regarding things that you can either learn or work up the experience in?

When I feel like that, oftentimes it has everything to do with me being my own worst enemy. I'm horribly critical of myself, at times. When I feel inadequate, for me at least, it's centered around things that I can change.. or it is centered around people I can never change. So, I find comfort in that. If I can make myself less inadequate simply by learning how to do something or whatever, then I need to get past my slump and dig in with it. If, however, it has to do with others... I have to embrace that I can work really hard at something and perhaps never get praise from human lips; sometimes, you work hard only to get what feels like a slap in the face from someone else. It is in these cases that I am reminded of Eleanor Rosevelts' famous quote: "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

 

[StarryEyes]

PD - I think it's the "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" part.. I tend to hold back in life quite a bit. thank you

white dove - I am terribly critical of myself also, so am really critical with others as well. With Christ I can get past this... thank you

 

[StarryEyes]

<staff edit>

I guess it's not all about feelings huh.. we need to focus more on the whole picture.. our main focus should be on Christ and not on our inadequacies. Plus it doesn't depend on us..

 

[SearcherKris]

There is a fictional book written by Janet Oke about a young woman who felt this way. I can't remember the title for the life of me! Anyway, she married pastor and lived a very simple life. She didn't realized the wonderful things God was doing through her because they were the simple things that came naturally to her. Her husband could see how wonderful she was, and he cherished her. Infact, he was in love with her and wanted to marry her long before she ever knew...other people around her did. She was just so focused on what she was not and what she could not do, that it never occurred to her that she was special or desirable.

I struggle with this too. One thing that helps me in a huge way is to remember who I am in relation to God. I am a born again believer in Christ, a child of God, bought by the blood of the Lamb. Through this, I draw my confidence from Christ. When I'm not focused on my abilities, or lack thereof, the Lord leads me to what I should do and carries me through it. It is natural. It turns out well simply because it is what I was supposed to be doing, God equiped me, and gave me peace and knoweledge to do it.

 

[StarryEyes]

There is a fictional book written by Janet Oke about a young woman who felt this way. I can't remember the title for the life of me! Anyway, she married pastor and lived a very simple life. She didn't realized the wonderful things God was doing through her because they were the simple things that came naturally to her. Her husband could see how wonderful she was, and he cherished her. Infact, he was in love with her and wanted to marry her long before she ever knew...other people around her did. She was just so focused on what she was not and what she could not do, that it never occurred to her that she was special or desirable.

I struggle with this too. One thing that helps me in a huge way is to remember who I am in relation to God. I am a born again believer in Christ, a child of God, bought by the blood of the Lamb. Through this, I draw my confidence from Christ. When I'm not focused on my abilities, or lack thereof, the Lord leads me to what I should do and carries me through it. It is natural. It turns out well simply because it is what I was supposed to be doing, God equiped me, and gave me peace and knoweledge to do it.

Yeah, I just need to focus on what God wants me to do and then do it without questioning it so much, and without caring about what other people might do/say. Thanks for your encouraging post!

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

I guess it's not all about feelings huh.. we need to focus more on the whole picture.. our main focus should be on Christ and not on our inadequacies. Plus it doesn't depend on us..

Feelings are subject to change. Sometimes in a matter of moments. So we cannot go by our feelings. Think of how many people that God used in the Bible that totally felt inadequate as well. Moses, Joshua, Noah there are so many. The reason there are so many examples is because we need them and also to show us that it is NOT us, but rather Christ in us that is able to accomplish his will thru us. So we should "seek ye first the kingdom of God" and everything else will line up when we do that.

 

[StarryEyes]

Feelings are subject to change. Sometimes in a matter of moments. So we cannot go by our feelings. Think of how many people that God used in the Bible that totally felt inadequate as well. Moses, Joshua, Noah there are so many. The reason there are so many examples is because we need them and also to show us that it is NOT us, but rather Christ in us that is able to accomplish his will thru us. So we should "seek ye first the kingdom of God" and everything else will line up when we do that.

so inadequacy may lead to humility right?

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

so inadequacy may lead to humility right?

Yeppers!
I found this interesting and thought you would too. It's about Humility

Home > Library > Religion & Spirituality > Encyclopedia of Judaism


One of the virtues most admired and held up as an example among Jews since biblical times. Moses is described as "a very humble man, more so than any other man on earth" (Num. 12:3), and precisely for this reason, the rabbis said, was he deemed worthy of receiving the Torah. Jeremiah likewise revealed this inner quality when he proved hesitant about undertaking his Divine mission. "The humble," it is said, "shall inherit the land" (Ps. 37:11); the Lord gives them courage (Ps. 147:6); and "wisdom is with the unassuming" (Prov. 11:2). A pithy ethical message is conveyed in the prophet's famous statement that man is required "to do justice, and to love goodness, and to walk modestly with God" (Mic. 6:8); according to the rabbis (Mak. 24a), this verse epitomizes the whole Torah and "walking modestly with God" is the highest Jewish ideal. The talmudic sages regarded humility as on essential attribute of the scholar, Hillel declaring that "one who seeks fame will lose his name" (Avot 1:13). "The greater the man, the humbler he is" (Lev. R. 36:2) and "one who does not exalt himself will be exalted by others" (MK 28b). "Take your seat a little below the one due to you," R. Akiva advised, "for it is better to be told 'Come up!' than 'Go down!'" (Lev. R. 1:5). There are, however, times when humility is out of place: "Disciples of the wise should be proud enough to stand up in defense of the Law" (Sot. 5a). Meekness provides a key to the afterlife (Sanh. 88b) and this virtue is also attributed to God Himself. "Wherever in Scripture you find the power of God mentioned, there too you will find a reference to His humility" (Meg. 31a). Similarly, "God revealed Himself in a bush, to teach us that the loftiest may be found in the lowliest" (Mekhilta de-Rabbi Shimon bar Yoh&#803;ai; cf. Shab. 67a).

 

[white dove]

I'm reminded of this passage of Scripture.

 

[white dove]

Whoops.

 

[Johnathan1969]

Funny, I was thinking this same thing just a couple of days ago and decided to discuss it with my ten-year old. You know, so she could learn from what I was thinking. We read about David and what part he played in the defeat of the Philistines.
What it came down to, and these are in her own words, is "Daddy, isn't it possible to do anything if God wants it?&#8221; The feeling of inadequacy is a feeling derived from Satan.

 

[StarryEyes]

Thank you all for your replies, and the verses. Johnathan, I am always in awe about what kids say sometimes.. thank you for sharing that!

Humility is a great attribute! Thank you memoriesbymichelle. It seems everyday there's ways one can take pride in him/herself.. that's why we must focus on Jesus.

whitedove - I just read those verses the other day! Thank you for bringing them to my attention again.

I remember awhile back (not sure which part of these forums) about pride, and if pride is ever a good thing.. such as a dad being proud of his son/daughter. Do you think this kind of pride is ok or none is ok?

 

[Quoth]

Anyone else struggle with this? So many times I don't do something because I don't feel adequate. I know I should push past those feelings, but I still struggle with it. It's hard for me to just take the initiative and do what I know I should do.. I just never feel "qualified" to do it.. any suggestions? I will be praying about it for sure.

I just read this post, so my answer may be late in coming. This is my perspective:

God has been teaching me a great deal about being His adopted Son. In that, He has just shown me how true it is that He does not call the qualified; He qualifies the called.

God has used an incompetent speaker/murderer/liar/guy-with-anger-issues (Abraham), a man who struggled (literally!) with Him to point God had to literally break him (Jacob/Israel), a coward (Gideon), a hooker (Rahab), an adulterous murderer (David), a man who was literally pinned down by his sin (the criminal on the cross next to Christ), an angry, blasphemous hothead (Peter), a man who forsook every aspect of the covenant made with God on his behalf (Samson), and a guy who argued himself off his donkey (Balaam).

And He loves to use us in our broken little fragile shells. If we are open to God using us, He will, with complete joy. There are times when I am completely incompetent, but God still uses me because He wants others to see that it was not me.

"Though the world system may be tilted toward the rich and powerful, God is tilted toward the underdog." - Philip Yancey, "The Jesus I Never Knew"

Stand up and boast in your infirmities, because God loves us as the incompetent little unqualified creatures we are, and He will exalt the one who humbles himself, and the one who exalts himself will be humbled.

$0.02

 

[white dove]

I remember awhile back (not sure which part of these forums) about pride, and if pride is ever a good thing.. such as a dad being proud of his son/daughter. Do you think this kind of pride is ok or none is ok?

Mm, that's a really good question. I'm not a parent, so please bear that in mind as you read my response.

I don't think there's anything wrong with feeling pride in your children, your spouse, friends, parents, etc.. when it comes to feeling happy about a choice or accomplishment they've made. Naturally, we feel happy when those closest to us are happy; likewise, when they are hurting, we hurt, as well. It isn't a showy thing - at least I don't think so - where you're saying "Haha, my kid's better than yours!"... like an immature child. I think when parents are proud of their children, they're just overjoyed that the fruit of their womb has done something wonderful, something that may benefit them in the long-run. Because, as parents, you want to see your children succeed and do well in life. You want to rejoice in those things. If anything, in my opinion, it is not only good but biblical to be this way. But, that kind of pride differs from the worldly pride we typically see and hear about.


I don't know... does that make any sense?

 

[EazyMack]

Anyone else struggle with this?

I do.

 

[Stoffel]

Anyone else struggle with this? So many times I don't do something because I don't feel adequate. I know I should push past those feelings, but I still struggle with it. It's hard for me to just take the initiative and do what I know I should do.. I just never feel "qualified" to do it.. any suggestions? I will be praying about it for sure.

Hope this encourages you:

"One of the most amazing things about God was the way He redefined reality with words. God looked into chaos and spoke the hopeful words of creation. He looked into the chaos of our sin and declared us righteous in Christ. By speaking those words, coupled with our belief in them, He reconstituted our reality. If He had declared us lost He would have spoken truth, but He spoke a greater truth by recreating us with His words.

In other words, others might tell me I am a failure, an idiot, a clown, evil, incompetent, vicious, dangerous, pathetic etc., and these words are not just descriptive: they have a certain power to make me these things, in the eyes of others and even in my own eyes, as self-doubt creeps in and the Devil whispers in my ear.

But God’s speaks louder, and his word is more powerful. You may call me a liar, and you speak truth, for I have lied; but if God declares me righteous, then my lies and your insult are not the final word, nor the most powerful word. I have peace in my soul because God’s word is real reality. That’s why I need to read the Bible each day, to hear the word preached each week, to come to God in prayer, and to hear words of grace from other brothers and sisters as I seek to speak the same to them. Only as God speaks his word to me, and as I hear that word in faith, is my reality transformed and do the insults of others, of my own sinful nature, and of the evil one himself, cease to constitute my reality. The words of my enemies, external and internal, might be powerful for a moment, like a firework exploding against the night sky; but the Word of the Lord is stronger, brighter, and lasts forever." - Martin Luther.

 

[StarryEyes]

Skellington! thank you for that reply.. I tend to forget that.. I act like I have to be perfect or else I'm useless and that's so not true! Thank you so much for letting the Holy Spirit speak through you!

whitedove - thank you! yes, that does make sense.. maybe what we call pride in the sense of being happy for someone else, really isn't pride. maybe it's really something different.. like you said, just being happy for someone. Cuz we aren't taking pride in ourselves..

EazyMack good to know we're not alone!

Thank you, Stoffel, for that reply! It still surprises me how much impact words can have on a person's life. Words are so powerful, and we really need to watch what we say... something I need to be doing better.

 

[StarryEyes]

So lastnight, I was about to get ready for bed, and felt God wanted me to read today's devotional then. So I put it on my bed, got ready for bed, talked to God and prayed about this feeling of being inadequate, and proceeded to read the devotional.

I opened up the book.. the title of devotional is "I Know I Can" by Cindy Hess Kasper

And here are the verses mentioned:
John 15:5 (New International Version)


5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Philippians 4:13 (New International Version)

13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
2 Corinthians 4:7 (New International Version)


7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
Ephesians 3:16 (New International Version)

16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

And it talks about depending on our own abilities, and instead we should depend on the power of the Holy Spirit. Wow!!! God is Good!