Who Do You Think You Are?

You know the question. You’re getting ready to step out and do something you’ve never done before….you’ve finally made the decision that you don’t care if it’s uncomfortable, you’re going to finally sing the song, write the book, start the blog, post the picture, etc….then, seemingly out of nowhere, you hear a voice whisper, “Who do you think you are?”. And then, without realizing what’s happened, you agree with the voice and the song goes unsung, the book goes unwritten, the blog never gets started and the picture never gets posted….

Almost like clock-work, anytime I am stepping out in obedience or doing something out of my comfort zone, there is this all too familiar question that rings in my head- “Who do you think you are?” For so long, too long, I didn’t even recognize the crafty way this question would trickle into my thought processes and actually hinder me from doing anything. I would hear the question, and then actually sit there and answer it with all the reasons, all the excuses as to why I could not possibly step out into what God was asking me to do and there was no way I would do those uncomfortable things. What would people think? What would they say? They’re going to wonder who I think I am doing such things and being so bold!

I can’t help but think of the story of Moses, when God told him that he was going to be the one to help lead the Israelites out of captivity from the Egyptians. And Moses’ first response sounded a lot like mine sometimes today, “Who am I? Who am I to do this, Lord?”. He couldn’t see what God saw in Him. He couldn’t see that God had a plan lined up and that Moses was called to lead the children of Israel out of bondage. All Moses could see were his shortcomings and why, in his mind, he was not fit to do the job God was asking him to do. He felt he was not eloquent enough, and his speech and tongue were slow. But God chose Moses. A man, who by all counts of commentaries I’ve read, stuttered and stammered and had a really rough time talking, and he was going to speak on behalf of the children of Israel for their deliverance! God was patient with Moses though, and continued to assure him that He would be with him as he stepped out in obedience. On several occasions, even after God appeared to him through the burning bush, Moses doubted God’s direction and posed the question more than once, “Shouldn’t you choose someone else besides me?”. Moses just could not understand why the Lord wanted to use him. His eyes were so focused on his insecurities rather than God’s abilities working through him. Even after many specific instructions from the Lord, Moses continued to question His decision to choose him, and we know that the Lord ended up having Aaron speak for Moses’, while Moses conveyed the message of the Lord to Aaron.

Many events happened in Moses’ life after this initial “calling” of the Lord for this specific task, but we won’t take the time to dive into them right now. Where I want to focus is Moses’ hesitation to fully embrace what God asked him to do, because he wasn’t “fit” for the task. How many times does the Lord place things in our hearts to accomplish but we immediately say “who am I”? “Lord, I don’t have enough education, or I don’t have enough money, or I’m not a public speaker, or what will people think…” And we list all the reasons why the Lord has made a mistake by choosing us, all the while forgetting that he never asked us what our qualifications were before He chose us to function in the role He has for us!

Just like the Israelites had cried out to the Lord for deliverance, and He needed someone to answer the call and go in His strength and leading, I believe there are people today who have cried out to the Lord, and He is calling us to step out and do what He’s asking us to do, because their freedom from bondage relies on us doing our job!

We may not feel qualified. Maybe we’re actually NOT qualified by the world’s standards. But I would rather step out, “unqualified” with the Lord’s direction and covering, than to sit around never doing anything because I let my insecurities get the best of me.

Someone is waiting for you to step out in obedience and run with the vision God has given you.

The sad part of Moses’ story is that he never made it into the Promised Land, because of his disobedience to the Lord’s direction on one particular occasion where he struck a rock twice instead of speaking to it as God had instructed. So while he did many great things in his day, he never FULLY walked in all that God had for him.

Friends, I never want to get to the end and wonder what kind of impact I may have had on this world, had I just stepped out in obedience and did what the Lord asked me to do. Quite honestly, I very rarely feel qualified to do the things He has asked me to do. And there are things stirring in my heart even now to step out into, that I KNOW I’m not qualified in the natural to do. Yet He calls. And while I may not have it down pat yet, I’m working on saying a full-on YES any time the Lord calls me out. “Yes” is so much easier than listing our excuses and our reasons why the Lord should pick someone else. And we can trust that when He’s called us to do something, He will not leave us empty handed or without help. The Word already tells us that we are equipped with everything we need to do what He’s called us to do.

So I just encourage you today to answer the call. Do whatever it is the Lord is asking you to do. It may be just a small adjustment in your daily schedule. It may be birthing something that’s been in your heart for years that you keep pushing aside. It may seem big, it may seem small, but whatever the Lord is asking of you, give a full-on yes to Him today. Let’s take our eyes off our insecurities and put our focus on His strength. And the next time your hear that sly whisper, “Who do you think you are?”, you can destroy those lies by saying, “I am stepping out in obedience to my Father, and I am walking in the fullness of all He’s called me to! He has equipped me with all that I need to do what He’s asked me to do, and I go forth in His strength today!”