Not Your Strength

Have you ever felt like there was something you were made to do, but you didn’t believe you could do it? Have you been asked to do something but let fear hold you back? Maybe you’ve come up with every single reason why you’re unqualified, incapable, and simply not enough. If so, you’re not alone in feeling this way.

There are countless stories of people in the Bible who felt unable to do what God called them to do. But God specializes in using ordinary people to work incredible miracles. It doesn’t matter what qualifications we have. All that matters are the qualities and strength of the limitless God who is always with us.

In the story of David and Goliath, David was just a boy. He wasn’t a grown man or a warrior trained for battle. He watched over sheep with nothing more than a slingshot. It made absolutely no sense for David to be the one to stand up to Goliath. He was not the likely victor in a battle against a 9-foot-tall giant. But after 40 days of Goliath mocking the king’s army and everyone else being too afraid to fight him, David decided to put an end to it.

David was outraged that Goliath would dare to mock the armies of the living God and essentially said, “Who does this guy think he is?!” David was so emboldened by his righteous anger and confidence in God’s mighty power that he didn’t listen to his brothers who tried to discourage him. He didn’t follow the urgings of the king to wear heavy armor and carry a big sword that he had never trained with. He knew the battle was the Lord’s battle and that he didn’t have to fight with his own strength.

So, even without a sword in his hand, David told Goliath, “I will strike you down and cut off your head!” After bringing Goliath down with just a slingshot and a stone, David cut off the giant’s head with his own sword.

David’s confidence in God didn’t spring up overnight. It was deeply rooted in who he knew God to be. Over and over, God had protected David and his sheep against lions and bears. He knew, just as God had saved him from predators in the pasture, that God would give him victory on the battlefield.

Living with confidence isn’t about what we think of ourselves or our abilities. Confidence is from God, in God, and with God. It grows the more we get to know Him, and it multiplies as He repeatedly shows up in our lives. If we believe what the Bible says about God, our lives will look different. Living with confidence goes beyond having internal peace and shows the people around us that we’ve been transformed. When we’re living in confidence, we won’t be held back by fear or negativity. We won’t be able to help but speak and live boldly for Christ–not out of arrogance, but from certainty in Him.

Do you feel discouraged by the naysayers in your life, or have you even talked yourself out of what you’re supposed to do before anyone else had the chance? Are you trying to make someone else’s armor fit when all you need to do is rely on God’s strength? Just like David, you can live in confidence knowing that the battle–no matter what it is you’re facing–is the Lord’s.

Stop focusing on who you are and what you bring, and instead, remind yourself who God is and what He is capable of. Don’t talk yourself out of your purpose because you don’t have the right qualifications or the same experiences someone else has. Just on the other side of your fear is breakthrough, victory, and purpose. Instead of leaning on your own strength, rely on God, who is always behind you, and let Him propel you forward.

Action Step: What are the giants in your life that you’ve been trying to fight in your own strength? Spend some time reflecting on this question. Start a list of the areas in your life where you’ve let fear hold you back so you can begin to fully rely on God’s strength.