The Stories of Christmas | The Courage to Begin

But Moses pleaded with the LORD, "O Lord, I'm not very good with words. I never have been, and I'm not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled." Then the LORD asked Moses, "Who makes a person's mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say."

Exodus 4:10-12 (New Living Translation)

You know that feeling when you're standing at the edge of something new, and your brain starts listing all the reasons why you're not qualified to do it? And the list grows: "I don't have the right skills...I've never done this before...What if I mess it up...What if people judge me...I'm just not ready yet."

Yeah, Moses knew that feeling too.

When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses wasn't exactly jumping at the opportunity. In fact, Moses gave God a whole list of excuses about why he was the wrong person for the job. The excuse we see in today's passage is that Moses wasn't a good speaker. Some biblical scholars think Moses might have had a speech impediment. Others think he was just uncomfortable with public speaking. Either way, Moses was convinced his inadequacy disqualified him from God's calling.

But that’s not how God felt. God doesn't dispute Moses' self-assessment. God doesn't say, "Actually, Moses, you're a great speaker and you just don't realize it yet." Instead, God basically says, "I know exactly who you are and what you can and can't do. I'm the one who made you, remember? Now go. I'll be with you."

We do this same thing Moses did, don't we? We wait for the perfect moment. We wait until we feel qualified. We wait until we have it all figured out. We wait until we're confident we won't mess it up.

But if we wait until we feel ready, we'll never start. If we wait until we're confident we won't make mistakes, we'll never take that first step. If we wait until we have it all figured out, we'll spend our whole lives standing at the starting line.

God didn't call Moses because Moses was a natural-born leader with great communication skills. God called Moses and then promised to be with him every step of the way. God didn't wait for Moses to get over his insecurities or overcome his limitations. God invited Moses to start right where he was, with all his inadequacies, and trust that God would provide what was needed along the way.

And the same is true for us. Whatever God is calling you to do, you don't have to wait until you feel ready. You don't have to wait until you have it all figured out. You just have to be willing to take that first step and trust that God will meet you there.

Maybe God is calling you to volunteer in some area of ministry. Maybe God is nudging you to have a difficult conversation with a friend or family member. Maybe God is inviting you to be more generous with your time or talents. Maybe God is asking you to simply start showing up more consistently in your faith journey.

Whatever it is, you don't have to have it all together. You don't have to be perfect. You just have to be willing to start.

So what's holding you back? What are you waiting for? What step of faith have you been avoiding because you don't feel ready or qualified?

Because here's what I want you to know: Your first attempt doesn't have to be your best attempt. God isn't looking for perfection. God is looking for willingness. And when you offer what you have, even when it feels inadequate, God takes it and uses it in ways you never imagined possible.

Prayer

God, I'll be honest...I often feel like Moses. I look at what you're calling me to do, and I immediately start listing all the reasons why I'm not qualified. I focus on my inadequacies instead of your sufficiency. Help me to remember that you don't call the equipped, you equip the called. Give me the courage to start somewhere, even when I don't feel ready. Help me trust that you'll be with me every step of the way. Amen.