Inadequacy

It seems to me that there are three areas where Christians are especially prone to feelings of inadequacy:

         Bible study/reading

         Prayer and

         Witnessing/soul winning 

Who would ever claim to have attained in these areas? 

Inadequacy leads, so often, to feelings of guilt. We know we should do better. We wish we did do better. 

Guilt can lead to a spirit of judgment and criticism. We begin to put rules in place designed to make others, and possibly ourselves do better. 

Here’s the thing, any of these things done out of coercion and not a willing heart is not accepted by God. It’s a man-made trinket and not a spiritual treasure. 

So what’s the answer?

2 Corinthians 3:5

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 

And 2 Corinthians 12:9

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 

Our inadequacy must be filled up in the sufficiency of Christ. This does not mean that we are lazy or careless. It means we do the best we can and we learn how to improve what we do, but we leave the fruit or lack thereof, in the hands of a gracious and merciful God.

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields