“…perhaps you have systematically talked yourself out of anything great God may wish to do through you.”

A thought by Charles R. Swindall, from his book, What if…God Has Other Plans?: Finding Hope When Life Throws You the Unexpected (p. 4). Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Has that been true of you?  Is that true of you now?

Charles says, “Maybe it’s because you feel woefully inadequate or you lack training. Perhaps you’re shy and entertain thoughts of being completely insignificant.

“You look at yourself in the mirror and ask, How could God ever choose somebody like me? I mean, it would be unlikely for God to notice me, to say nothing of using me greatly. I’m simply not qualified.”

He goes on, “Be honest, now . . . does that sound like you? Every time you look in the mirror, do you talk yourself out of something great God wants to do? But what if God has other plans? What if He wants to choose you to do something great? Are you willing? Would you respond in faith, or would you run in the other direction?

“If you think you’d shrink from such a call, then welcome to the club! You’re not alone. In fact, you’re in company with one of the greatest individuals God ever chose to use greatly. This man’s name was Moses.

Charles continues, “Originally, Moses was an unlikely prospect for the Leadership Hall of Fame. The good news is that God doesn’t search through the Hall of Fame to find candidates for greatness. God often starts with losers. Washouts. Those with broken lives and downtrodden spirits.”

He later says, “Resistance comes from our belief that we know the situation better than God does. We’re happy to have God take care of situations for us. We just don’t want to be His primary instrument. Why? Because we think we know better than He does what’s required for the job. Pay close attention: the best ten years of your life may still be ahead of you, but maybe you’ve already begun to talk yourself out of what God has planned for you.”

Charles then says, “If that’s you, I know exactly how you feel. I was the least likely candidate imaginable to do something for God. I wasn’t a great student or athlete as a boy. I wasn’t very significant on my high school campus. I certainly didn’t distinguish myself as a hero during my years in the Marine Corps. I was just another Marine. Yet out of a bush came a voice calling me to ministry. My first response was, ‘I’ve heard this before—but from my wife, not from You, Lord. She has urged me toward the ministry, but I’ve resisted.’ (I didn’t think I was qualified, and my inferiority prompted my resistance.)

Maybe that is you but what if God wants to choose you to do something great? What if?  Are you willing? 

Yes, yes!