"I'm Not Good Enough"

How many times have you heard the phrase, “I’m not good enough”? Whether in your thoughts, in your harvest field, or even being said out of your own mouth? The heart behind that phrase is seeing a lack in our own human ability and then letting that prevent us from fully serving God. In other words, it becomes an excuse.

So, do we see in any other people in scripture who felt like they were not "good enough" and saw a lack in their own human ability. If so, what wisdom can we gain from their experiences that we can apply today? In this message, we looked at 3 specific categories of excuses along with solutions to them.

Excuse 1: "I'm Too Young/Old" (Age)

Jeremiah - "Too Young"

Jeremiah 1:4-9 - [4] Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: [5] “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” [6] Then said I: “Ah, LORD God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” [7] But the LORD said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. [8] Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the LORD. [9] Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.

Jeremiah was one of the major prophets in scripture, yet when God first called him, Jeremiah did not immediately say, “Yes and amen”, but his first response was "I cannot speak, for I am too young" (lack in the area of experience). What was your response when God called you? Jeremiah had an excuse because he saw his lack in human ability, but God saw Jeremiah as what He had prepared before he was in the womb. In addition, notice how God says that Jeremiah will go where he is sent and speak what the LORD commands? You can’t say the right thing to the right people if you don’t go to the right location that you are sent to. So, what does God do? God says, “I have put My words in your mouth” to give Jeremiah the ability to speak showing that it is not Jeremiah's human ability, but that the LORD's words were in his mouth.

David - "Too Young, But Good Response"

1 Samuel 17:32-33 - Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”

1 Samuel 17:37 - Moreover David said, “The LORD, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!”

1 Samuel 17:45-47 - [45] Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. [46] This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. [47] Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD's, and He will give you into our hands.”

David was a small shepherd boy, yet he comes before the King to say that he will go and fight Goliath. The King says to David, "You are too young" meaning "you don’t have the human ability to do this", yet David's response was "The LORD has delivered me before and He will do it again!" After this response, King Saul sends David to battle. David then has a powerful monologue before Goliath. He spoke with boldness, authority, and full confidence in God. David knew that the LORD God of Israel was on his side and that if God be for him, who can be against him? In contrary to Jeremiah's response, David did not look at his lack in human ability of being too young and small, but he fully trusted in God's capability to deliver him.

Solution To The “I’m Too Young” Excuse

1 Timothy 4:12 - Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Apostle Paul wrote this to young man named Timothy. If you are someone that is considered young, when you have the LORD on your side, do not let anyone despise you for your age, but live as an example of a young man/woman of God as a testimony to the world that God can use even the youth.

Abraham / Sarah - "Too Old"

Genesis 17:15-17 - [15] Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. [16] And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.” [17] Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”

Genesis 18:13-14 - [13] And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?’ [14] Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

God had promised Abraham that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars and through his seed, all nations would be blessed, but Abraham and Sarah saw a problem in their human ability. Sarah was old in age and baron, yet God said that she would bear a child and that kings shall be from her. So, Abraham and Sarah both laughed at first because they looked at the natural circumstances and thought it was not possible. But God says, "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" and specifically states that "Sarah shall have a son." This shows that even Abraham, who it is said believed the LORD and it was accounted to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6), still had a moment of doubt. But then, Sarah conceives at the appointed time and Isaac (the promised child) is born.

Caleb - "Too Old, But Good Response"

Joshua 14:10-11 - [10] And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years, ever since the LORD spoke this word to Moses while Israel wandered in the wilderness; and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. [11] As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.

Caleb and Joshua were the only 2 from the "wilderness era" to enter the promised land, so this scripture is later in Caleb’s life when he inherits Hebron. Caleb states that he is 85 years old, yet his strength had stayed strong in old age because he wholly followed the LORD God.

Solution To The “I’m Too Old” Excuse

2 Corinthians 4:16 - Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

It does not matter how old (or young) you are on the outside, the flesh is perishing, it is about the renewal of the inner man every day. If you are still on this earth as a born again believer, God still wants to work with you!

Excuse 2: "I Have Too Many Obligations" (Not Enough Time)

The Great Supper - "Too Many Obligations"

Luke 14:16-20 - [16] Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, [17] and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’ [18] But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ [19] And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’ [20] Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

People had “too many obligations” that they didn’t have “time” to attend this supper, so they missed out on experiencing the Kingdom. Everybody has a decision about how they will spend their time, are we going to spend it doing a bunch of "stuff" or spend it fully serving God? How often does something “come up” when God is trying to do something in your life? Or how often do we say to God, “I need to do this first... and then I will serve you”? God is inviting you to feast with Him every day to hear His voice and spend time with Him. Are you going to accept the invitation, or are you just “too busy”?

Elisha - "Too Many Obligations, But Good Response"

1 Kings 19:19-21 - [19] So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. [20] And he left the oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” [21] So Elisha turned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen and slaughtered them and boiled their flesh, using the oxen’s equipment, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

Elisha had an established life with a livelihood. He owned 12 yoke of oxen (24 oxen) which indicated that he was not poor. He was plowing with 1 of the 12 yokes which means he probably had servants (employees) on the other 11. By the world's standards, it seems that he was doing pretty well and prospering already. But then, a divine appointment takes place and Elijah's mantle is placed on him. Elisha had a decision to make, will he leave everything behind and follow Elijah or will he make an excuse as to why he can't come? We see that Elisha does go home, but with the intention of ending ties to his former life. He said goodbye to family, broke the oxen’s equipment and used it as fuel to boil his oxen to provide a farewell meal then he followed Elijah.

Solution To The "I Have Too Many Obligations" Excuse

Philippians 3:8 - [8] Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

2 Timothy 2:3-4 - [3] You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. [4] No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

Apostle Paul counted his former gains as loss. Based on Elisha’s oxen, you could tell Elisha was doing well by the world’s standard, but once he received his call, it was as rubbish in comparison. So rubbish, that instead of selling the oxen and equipment, he boiled them for a farewell meal (they had no value to him anymore). ThenElisha was enlisted as a solider for God when he dropped everything and joined Elijah.

Excuse 3: "I've Made Too Many Past Mistakes" (Past Sin)

Moses - "Too Many Past Mistakes"

Exodus 3:10-12 - [10] Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” [11] But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” [12] So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”

Exodus 4:10-13 - [10] Then Moses said to the LORD, “O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” [11] So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? [12] Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” [13] But he said, “O my LORD, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.”

At this time, Moses had already been away from Egypt for about 40 years and this is the moment that God speaks to him through the burning bush. God calls Moses and tells him that He will send Moses to Pharaoh to bring His people out of Egypt, but Moses says, "Who am I?" Interestingly, looking at Moses’ past, he already tried to bring justice for the Hebrew people and be their savior, but in his own accord (Exodus 2:11-15). He saw a Hebrew being abused by an Egyptian, so he killed the Egyptian to defend the mistreated Hebrew, but this led to Moses fleeing from Egypt to Midian because Pharaoh wanted to kill him after this. So, Moses knowing his past failures thought that he was not good enough to deliver anyone. This conversation continues into the next chapter and Moses proceeds to say, "I am slow of speech and slow of tongue", still looking at his own human ability and thinking that he is incapable of doing what God is calling him to do. Despite the LORD continuing to let Moses know that He will be with him, Moses still rejected a portion of what he was being called to do, so God found someone else (his brother Aaron) to speak for Moses. Because Moses declined portions of his call, God found someone else for His will to be done.

Apostle Paul - "Too Many Past Mistakes, But Good Response"

1 Corinthians 15:9-10 - [9] For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. [10] But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Apostle Paul humbly admits that he is not worthy to be called an apostle because of his past mistakes of persecuting God's church, however, he does not let that excuse stop him from serving God. He realized that it is not by his human ability that he does these works, but by the power of God and he gave God the glory for it.

There is a difference between being humble and making excuses. Excuses are “I can’t do this God because of this…", but humility is “I can’t do this God, BUT You make me capable."

Solution To The "I've Made Too Many Past Mistakes" Excuse

Philippians 3:13-14 - [13] Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, [14] I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Apostle Paul says to forget the things that are behind (the past, your old life and decisions) because you can’t undo the past. Instead, we press towards what God has called you to be.

Final Solutions

James 1:5-6 - [5] If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. [6] But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

2 Corinthians 3:5 - Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God,

We need to ask ourselves this question, are you finding excuses just to have a reason why you can't fully serve God? If so, you probably won't apply these solutions. However, if you are someone that genuinely wants to fully serve God, but excuses are popping up, God wants to give you the wisdom to overcome that. If you lack wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously. We also need to see that our sufficiency is not from ourselves, our own human ability, but from God.

Discussion Questions For Self-Evaluation:

1. Have you ever felt like you were not "good enough" to serve God? What caused you to break free of that mindset?

2. What type of excuses have you experienced (past or present) that prevented you from fully serving God?

3. Do you remember a time when you relied on your own human ability instead of God? What was the result of it?

4. What part of the word came alive to you from this message?