Responsibility and the ability to respond

God never gives a person responsibility without giving the ability to respond. So you can look in the mirror today and say with confidence, “God, You’ve given me this responsibility and the ability to respond to it.” In the Bible, when God called regular people to do great things, they usually responded with a sense of inadequacy. When God charged Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage: “Moses pleaded, ‘O Lord, I’m just not a good speaker. I never have been, and I’m not now, even after you have spoken to me…I have a speech impediment” (Exodus 4:10 TLB). God wouldn’t hear of it, and He told Moses, “Go ahead and do as I tell you, for I will help you to speak well, and…tell you what to say” (Exodus 4:12 TLB). When God told Gideon to lead the Israelites to victory against the powerful forces of Midian, we read that Gideon replied, “‘Pardon me, my lord,…but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’ The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive’” (Judges 6:15-16 NIV). Gideon conquered an army of 135,000 with only 300 soldiers – plus God. That’s a ratio of 450 to 1! So next time Satan reminds you that you are inadequate, say, “You’re correct! But I’m connected to a God who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present. Through Him I can do all things!” (see Philippians 4:13).