But we have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:7, NASB

Have you ever felt called by God to do something, but it seems an impossible thing for you to do?

•Perhaps you feel inadequate or that you lack the necessary knowledge.
•Maybe you are asking yourself this question, “Who, Me?” (The calling is way out of your comfort zone.)
•You may feel that you lack abilities or talents to do what you know Lord is calling you to do.
•Perhaps you have a physical limitation or an illness that makes it difficult to follow through.
•You know of others that would do a much better job and be more suited to the work.
•You fear you don’t know the Bible well enough.
•You think you will make mistakes.
•In a nutshell, you are afraid.

These concerns and fears are so common that I imagine each one of us reading here today can relate to at least a few if not all of them. If you are experiencing this kind of fear in your life or you are trying to discern what the Lord wants you to do, there’s something special for you in the following verse.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves.  (2 Corinthians 4:7, NASB)

In Biblical times treasures such as gold or silver coins were hidden in clay pots and buried in the ground for safekeeping, often during times of warfare or instability. Paul takes this common knowledge from his day and time and makes a comparison. Our bodies are the clay jars, and the treasure inside is not coins or riches, it is Jesus and the power of God. Look at how the preceding verse describes it:

For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6 NASB)

These two verses tell us that we have a treasure in this earthen vessel (our bodies) that we walk around in every day. The thing is, if we don’t understand the treasure we have inside, it is very easy to underestimate our value and our abilities. Satan will lie to us about our abilities and our worth which makes us focus on ourselves. The wrong focus keeps us from seeing the true source. Satan will always try to defeat you when it comes to doing God’s work because obviously, that’s not something he wants you doing!

If we don’t understand the treasure we have inside, it is very easy to underestimate our value and our abilities. (See 2 Corinthians 4:7) Click To TweetLet’s take a look at what this word “treasure” means in this verse:

The Greek word for “treasures” is thēsaurós and it can refer to a storehouse of treasure, like treasured-thoughts stored in the heart and mind. It is also used of God’s blessings planned out (stored up) for eternity. (Definitions from The Discovery Bible Helps Word-studies, Gary Hill, 2017.)

The previous verse tells us that this treasure inside is the knowledge of God and then it goes on to say that this knowledge is reflected or found in the face of Christ. The translations of the word “treasure” help us understand that our treasure is a storehouse full of the truth of the Gospel of Christ, something that is planned out and stored up for eternity. Wow!

The knowledge of God is rich and invaluable and a treasure that never ends. It’s the truth of the Gospel, full of glory and infinitely precious. Just think of it! When we have Jesus inside, we have a treasure trove of truth and knowledge that flows from God. We may feel inadequate, but inside there is treasure placed there by One who is not. And this is what we have access to through what Jesus did for us.

When we have Jesus inside, we have a treasure trove of truth and knowledge that flows from God. We may feel inadequate, but inside there is treasure placed there by One who is not. Click To Tweet

Friends, God is not going to call you to do something that He will not also provide the means for you to accomplish. He has given you something to keep as a treasure, but also to give away as well. It’s a different thing for all of us, but there’s something special He has designed ahead of time for you. There is a purpose He has in mind for you.

That’s a compelling thought, isn’t it? Here we are in these earthen vessels of ours which are faulty and imperfect, but inside there’s this treasure of a thing stored up that comes only from God. It’s something to keep that will sustain us in trials and troubles, but also something that grows so big we know it must be shared with others. God calls us to it.

With that knowledge, God does not leave us unprepared. Each season of life that has come before your calling has been the preparation. The ability to do what God calls you to do doesn’t depend on you; it depends on the power of God inside you.

The ability to do what God calls you to do doesn’t depend on you; it depends on the power of God inside you. Click To Tweet

These quotes from Gary Hill (The Discovery Bible Helps Word-studies, Gary Hill, 2017) sum up a critical truth that we must remember.

“We must never measure our spiritual capacity on the basis of our education or our intellect, our capacity for spiritual things is measured on the basis of the promises of God.”

“When it is a question of God’s Almighty Spirit, never say, “I can’t.” Never allow the limitation of your natural ability to enter into the matter. If we have received the Holy Spirit, God expects the work of the Holy Spirit to be exhibited in us.

In every way, the enemy will try to make you feel inadequate for the purposes He has called you to. He’ll bring fears and thoughts that will stop you in your tracks. Don’t allow those things to stop you.

Your capacity and abilities are not based on anything you can achieve – not your education, not your physical skills, nor your natural gifts. It’s based solely on what God can do through the Holy Spirit in you!

Here’s what the Bible says about it:

And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5, NASB)

Let’s pray together for God to reveal the ways He has intended for each of us to go about doing His work in the world today. Let’s ask the Lord to give us insight and wisdom to His power within us to be able to do things that we would never believe possible. It’s all from Him! What treasures can you take and give to others along the way?

 

 

Perfectionism Pinpoint – Perfectionism, Your Abilities, and God’s Power

The topic in the post above cuts right to the foundation stones of the formidable fortress of perfectionism. There’s so much here that we’ll barely scratch the surface, but for today, let’s look at this one thing:

Perfectionism keeps us entirely focused on our own abilities and not God’s.

If you struggle with perfectionism, you may be looking at your abilities to determine what you can and can’t do. Perfectionism is very performance-focused, and a person who is struggling with perfectionism will constantly be measuring themselves (and possibly others) based on things like knowledge or expertise, natural talents, job performance or promotions, and the skills we’ve learned or are gifted with.

Instead of being performance-focused we need to find ways to be God-focused. Here are some things that might help if you find yourself struggling with this issue:

• Stay in God’s Word. This is where you will find truth. Here is a past article about seven verses that will help equip you for daily life. Click HERE
• Prayer. Prayer is your connection to Jesus and the heart of your relationship with God the Father. Focus on being consistent in your prayer life. If you are looking for some helpful resources for your prayer life you can find some free ones in our prayer library. Learn more HERE.
• Look away from yourself and toward the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. Here are some verses to look up that will help you.

Hebrews 12:1-2
Philippians 3:14
Psalm 34:5

Focus Verses
The verses in this post are linked to their appropriate pages at Bible Hub where you can find free resources for further study.

Discussion
How have you found that the Lord helped get you ready for something He called you to do? Can you look back and see how life’s trials or difficulties helped prepare you for the places God is asking you to go? Perhaps you are struggling with a hard season in life. Are there ways this present season can help prepare you for a calling in your life?

*Not sure what your calling is? We’ll talk about that, too, in our new series on being equipped for God’s calling so check back in two weeks for more!

The post Who, Me? Truth for When You Feel Inadequate first appeared at www.journeytoimperfect.com.

This post may be linked in the following places. Click through to find more hope and encouragement for your new year!  Tea And Word Tuesdays / Cheerleaders of Faith /  Coffee for Your Heart / Sitting Among Friends / Moments of Hope / Salt and Light / Heart Encouragement Thursday / Tune in Thursdays / Counting My Blessings / Grace and Truth

Interested in free resources to help you build a prayer notebook? Subscribe below to receive our newsletters and gain access to our Prayer Library!