This summer, I have been watching America's Got Talent a little more closely than I have in the past. Each act that has advanced to the live shows has been amazing and even some that did not advance were quite exceptional. But as I look back on the season to this point, I ask myself, "What must it be like to be told that you're not good enough to go on? What must that do to one's confidence? To someone as a person?"
Sometimes in life, we may be told that we are not good enough. That we don't have what it takes. That we are too small, too weak, or too inhibited to do what some one else is doing. Or even that because of the circumstances we are in, we are stuck and cannot break free.
You want a list of people who were not good enough?
- Moses stuttered.
- David was overlooked, was too young, and his armor didn't fit.
- John Mark was rejected by Paul.
- Hosea's wife was a prostitute.
- Amos's only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.
- Solomon was too rich.
- Gideon was too poor.
- Abraham and Sarah & Zachariah and Elizabeth were too old.
- Timothy had ulcers.
- Peter was afraid of death.
- Lazarus was dead.
- John was self-righteous.
- Naomi was a widow.
- Miriam was a gossip.
- Paul was a murderer (so were Moses and David).
- Jonah ran from God.
- Jeremiah was depressed.
- Elijah was burned out.
- John the Baptist was a loudmouth.
- Martha was a worrywart.
- Samson struggled with lust.
- Did I mention Moses had a short fuse? So did Peter, Paul--well, lots of folks did.
And I can go on, and on. By any human measure many of the people that we call heroes in the Bible would not have even been considered for the tasks that God had commanded them to perform.
But that is where the God's power comes into play.
You see God judges on a different field of play than we do. I Samuel 16:7 says, "... for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." God sees us not for what we have done, but for what He has done in us. He has given each of us talents and abilities that we can use for His honor and His glory. Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven."
So what about you?
Have you been told or do you feel that your gifts are not adequate for the task that God has called you to do? James 1:17-- "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
Are you letting yourself be held back by the mistakes that you have made in the past? Romans 8:1-2-- "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
Do you feel like God has forgotten you or is not with you? Philippians 1:6-- "He [God] which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"
Are you afraid to take the next step for God? II Timothy 1:7-- "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
God is with you. He has given you a specific set of abilities and a specific situation that is designed for you. And He is ready to help you succeed. Are you ready to follow Him, no matter what the cost?
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