Devotionals

Don't wait to be perfect

by Susan Barnes 
08/22/17
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“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on . . .” Philippians 3:12

We are never going to feel completely ready for what God asks us to do.

Moses felt inadequate and said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else” (Exodus 4:13). Jeremiah felt he was too young and said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord. . . I do not know how to speak; I am too young” (Jeremiah 1:6). And Joshua was told four times in one chapter to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6, 7, 9 and 18).

Yet it is these feelings of inadequacy that teach us to trust the Lord and look to him for the help and guidance that we need. If we felt completely capable we would be tempted to forge ahead with our own ideas and miss what God had in mind.

Paul in the above verse is also saying he has more to learn but he is not waiting around until he is perfect, rather he is pressing on. Likewise I would like to wait until I have written the perfect devotion or the perfect talk before I present it, but I would be waiting forever.

Perhaps God is asking you to complete a task and you don't feel ready or adequate. Perhaps you are tempted to say, “Please send someone else.” However, when God calls us, he equips us. Our task is to fix our eyes on Jesus, remembering he is the perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), so that we can move towards fulfilling God's purposes for our lives.