"I can't." With those words, we often dismiss our responsibility to do something God wants us to do.

I distinctly remember my feelings of inadequacy as I stood in front of classes during my student-teaching days in college. I would rather have been nibbled to death by ducks than to stand in front of a bunch of reluctant 17-year-olds just daring me to teach them grammar.

As frightening as those kinds of feelings are, we must never mistake them for reasons to avoid the direction God has for us in life.

Look at Jeremiah. God had prepared him to be "a prophet to the nations" (Jer. 1:5). Yet when he heard of God's plans, he immediately objected, "I cannot speak, for I am a youth" (v.6). It is not clear how old Jeremiah was, but it didn't matter to God. He didn't accept his objections. Instead, the Lord provided what Jeremiah would need to succeed: His enablement (v.7), His presence (v.8), and the words to speak (v.9).

Listen to God. What is He calling you to do for Him? Does it sound too hard? That's impossible! If God has a job for you, it's not you who will be doing it--He will be working through you. That should take care of those feelings of inadequacy.  — Dave Branon