Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinithians 3: 4-6.
I've been thinking lately about how I feel inadequate and incapable of leading and ministering to people. It's been bringing me down lately and I just verbally processed it today when I met with Lindsay for discipleship. I've been feeling that my age, and in turn lack of life experience, makes me less important and much less qualified to do anything--especially speak truth into people's lives. I'm the baby of the group here in Vienna and when I get back to school in the Fall I'm going to be a leader in both my hall and the student body as just a 2nd year student. In the past, I've never really felt as though I've been lacking anything when it came to leadership--it's one of my spiritual gifts. I've always been a part of student council, been a leader on sports teams, part of NHS, etc. But I was leading people my age... I think now that I'm in a position where I'm speaking into the lives of people who are much older than me, it is intimidating me and Satan is trying to convince me that I am not capable of leading people who are older than me and have more life experience. He's trying to convince me that I don't deserve to be listened to because I am not as wise or mature as some people. He's trying to convince me that I need to stay silent because no one cares what I say because I'm just a kid.
BUT, God promises that He makes me competent to minister through the work of the Holy Spirit in me! It's not because of anything that I do, because without Him I am most definitely incompetent. He makes me capable to speak His truth into the lives of others, whether they are 5 or 50. "You a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts." 2 Corinthians 3:3. Because of the work of the living God in me, I am a letter to people's hearts! That is the power of the Holy Spirit! So as I continue to wrestle with what my role is in ministry, as a 19 year old, and as a daughter of the King, I find comfort in this verse--"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12
No comments:
Post a Comment