Feeling Inadequate?

I’m a pastor who hasn’t been to seminary and a preschool director who isn’t a licensed child-care provider. (We do have a wonderful licensed provider on our staff though!) Most of my relevant training has been on-the-job or through my own studies.

People tell me I’m doing well, but I still deal with feelings of inadequacy from time to time, especially when I’ve worked my tail off on a sermon and it still doesn’t feel quite right. It’s not to the point of impostor syndrome, but still.

That’s why I was so encouraged the other day when I read Paul’s words to the Corinthians:

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:4-6 ESV)

If you’re like me and feel insufficient to the task sometimes--in your parenting, ministry, work, or school--let’s remember this: Our sufficiency is from God, not ourselves.

How about you? Do you ever feel like you don't have what it takes? How do you deal with it?

Photo by H. Michael Karshis