click to enlarge
“Moses was past middle age when God called him to lead his children out of Egypt, and he spoke with a stutter. He was reluctant and unwilling and he couldn’t control his temper. But he saw the bush that burned and was not consumed. He spoke with God in the cloud on Mt. Sinai, and afterwards his face glowed with such brilliant light that the people could not bear to look at him.
“In a very real sense not one of us is qualified, but it seems that God continually chooses the most unqualified to do his work, to bear his glory. If we are qualified, we tend to think that we have done the job ourselves. If we are forced to accept our evident lack of qualification, then there’s no danger that we will confuse God’s work with our own, or God’s glory with our own.” ~Madeleine L’Engle in Walking on Water
Stilled and so not qualified,
Sandy
Where have you been aware of your own lack of qualification? Where have you seen God shine through you, work through you, well knowing that it was not you?
Welcome to Still Saturday where we pause after a busy week, move in quiet pilgrimage, maybe linger a while in some still place, and soak in the beauty of images and words. We’d love for you to join us. Get the details on the left, grab your favorite button, and link up below. We all love to hear if something especially speaks to your heart, but please don’t feel pressured to comment. Simply take some time to gaze long and drink deep.
Oh my dear friend. So often this is my struggle.
I live in a world that wants to know my qualifications. What degree do I have to lead Women’s Ministry, to write, to teach, to lead, to mentor, or counsel? My answer is so often “God, He has prepared me before hand to do that which He calls me to do.” I was even told once that my answer was very sarcastic. ((sigh))
I know it’s truth that I speak to my inner self and yet at times the voice of those around can be quite loud.
Thank you for this reminder….
Sandra,
I see it every day on my blog. Honestly. I constantly question how it is that my voice, my tiny voice that isn’t the best with words and isn’t the most knowledgeable of scripture, could possibly have anything to say as a Christian blogger. I am not qualified at all to be His voice to so many, yet I feel his calling to write all the same.
Thank you for hosting Still Saturday. I’m so glad to be here this weekend!
I am reading through John right now, and this reminds me of that verse in John 3 where it says, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
I’ve been planning my auntie’s memorial service for the past few weeks.
Unqualified? Absolutely. Felt Him working through me? Oh, yes. Yes indeed.
Thank you, Sandy, for this lovely post and for your gracious hospitality here every weekend.
Sandra, God works through broken vessels. Those that are bright and shiny don’t seem to need a good polish. You know, the “white-washed tombs” kind!
God bless,dear one
Mia
As someone who constantly struggles with pride and qualifications and wanting things to be just so…this both broke and healed my heart. I’m leaving up your post today so I can keep coming back to it and remember…it is not my qualifications but His.
I feel unqualified often…I reach for His strength every day as a mother. When I stop and ask for His help – and keep the focus on Him – I feel empowered to lead and disciple my children. Doing it alone is not an option! Have a blessed weekend!
God worked mightily through me as I wrote my novel. I cannot count the number of times I would look back at something I had written and think, “I didn’t write that – God inspired it!”
To Him be the glory!
Blessings, Sandy!
“Yes, so unqualified . . . and didn’t Paul say: “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Definitely feel unqualified so much of the time, but I know that in my weakness His strength is perfected. It’s not always easy or comfortable, but it promotes dependence on Him. Great reminder, Sandra. Thank you.
This is good to think about. It makes me feel much more accepting of my shortcomings!
Beautiful encouragement here, my dear friend. xox
So glad to have found you here. I needed this today! It is exactly the subject my husband and I have been discussing. Feeling that holy nudge right now to do something that seems too big to handle, but I need to remember that God is in control. Thanks for sharing this.
In the mornings and evenings praying for His wisdom, patience, courage … in the evenings thanking Him for His guidance, faithfulness and being there all the time – during my mistakes / weakness / everything! – Seeking balance 🙂
Praise God that He looks not for ability, but for availability! If He calls us to a mission and we answer the call, He will equip us and He will get all the glory! Thanks for the great post & for hosting & God bless!