GetWisdom PaperturnSampler FINAL SinglePages - Flipbook - Page 86
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LIVING FOR WHAT REALLY MATTERS
I’m sure Paul sometimes felt unqualified and inadequate in the
face of such a difficult calling. But you know what? When we feel
unqualified and inadequate, we can fully lean on the One who is able
to do all things.
This is important for us to realize: If we feel capable and qualified
for God’s task, we’re probably leaning on our own power and ability
instead of God’s, which means we’re either out of step with what He’s
asking or we’re about to struggle mightily in pursuit of the calling.
8. Do you feel capable and qualified in your calling? Where have
you gotten comfortable, and do you think you might be missing something more that God is calling you to?
God qualifies the called; He doesn’t call the qualified. That’s certainly true of Paul. He had participated in persecution and murder
of God’s people. I’m sure he often felt massively over his head as he
faced persecution and prison.
But guess what—being over our heads is a good thing. If we’re
living in self-reliance and self-sufficiency, we’ve made ourselves god.
God wants us to join Him in His Kingdom work, and to be up to
that task, we have to recognize our insufficiency and lean on His
ultimate sufficiency.
God doesn’t want us to simply look the part of a new creation—He
wants us to be a new creation. This newness equals freedom in Him.
And freedom in Him creates opportunity. How do we make the most
of this freedom and opportunity? We give our whole self to Him.
We open our hands and give our all to Him. We say the words “send
me”—even before we understand where and how we will be sent. This
is the only way we are qualified: as vessels filled with the Holy Spirit.
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