Have you ever felt completely out of your league? Maybe you’ve applied for a job that you really want, but you don’t have as much experience as the other applicants. Or perhaps you’re a first-time parent, and the thought of raising a baby who is completely dependent on you fills you with dread. Or maybe you’re a university student, and despite the fact that you got accepted into a good school, it seems like every other student is smarter than you.

We all have areas in our lives where we feel anxious, insecure, and totally ill-equipped. In fact, the Bible is full of examples of people who didn’t think they could accomplish what God had called them to do. The prophet Jeremiah thought he was too young to speak to the people of Israel (Jeremiah 1:6). Moses, one of the greatest leaders in the Old Testament, didn’t believe that he was qualified because he had issues with public speaking (Exodus 4:10). Finally, Gideon doubted God’s call because of his low social status. In each one of these cases, God responded to his servants’ fears with the promise that he would equip them for the task. He tells Jeremiah that he will bring deliverance, assures Moses that his presence will accompany him (Exodus 3:12), and provides Gideon with a sign to assure him of victory (Judges 7:13-14). In the end, each of these men miraculously fulfilled the mission that God had for them, in spite of all their inabilities.

As we go about our daily lives, we will inevitably find ourselves in situations that seem too great for us. Whether it is in our jobs, our relationships, or our ministries, there are definitely moments when we don’t feel qualified enough, skilled enough, or worthy enough to do what God has called us to do. Nevertheless, we need to be confident that if God asks us to do something, he will always equip us for the task. For it is in our weakness that we learn to trust, not in our own abilities, but in God, whose strength and grace are always sufficient.