I’ve come across many times in my life when I didn’t feel like I had the ability to be helpful. Maybe you’ve felt the same way. You felt out of your depth and inept. You thought, “There’s got to be somebody better who can help with this.”
Once in a while I will come across a stranded motorist along the road and wonder if I should stop and help. Sometimes I do, but many times I don’t due to circumstances—like I’m late for work, they’re in an area where they can easily get help, or sometimes they already have help. Sometimes, though, I have to admit I just don’t feel capable. I often think there has to be somebody more capable that can help. I mean, I have a modicum of mechanical knowledge, but there are many scenarios I can picture where someone’s automotive complications are beyond my expertise. I would just end up shrugging my shoulders and saying, “I don’t know. Wish I could help.” Sometimes I guess I assume that’s the case. Maybe I shouldn’t assume, though.
The times that I have chosen to help strangers I have usually ended up being helpful. Once in a while people will say they already have help coming. Which is fine. Then I just continue on my way. I can’t actually think of a time where I didn’t know what to do. So, maybe my fears of incompetence are unfounded.
There’s also the line of thinking that, “Well, somebody else will stop to help if I don’t.” But I suppose I also have to consider my thinking in the grand scheme of things. If everyone thought this way, then they might never get any help. I mean, I can’t help everyone in the world. But I can help some of the people in my small world.
Of course, helping a stranded motorist is just one small example of ways that I could offer my assistance. Helping can include volunteering in my community, or at my church, or just helping my neighbor with a landscaping project. I don’t have to be an expert in all these areas to be helpful. Even with my limited knowledge they can put me to work somewhere.
Being concerned with my abilities is maybe just a smokescreen getting in the way of my being helpful. When I focus on my abilities I believe I may be missing the point. Maybe my being helpful shouldn’t be based on my abilities. Maybe my being helpful should be based on my availability. The reality is, just being willing to help is often appreciated by other people. Even if they don’t need help, they appreciate the offer. And usually I am of some assistance. I just need to be willing to offer.
One of the things I’ve realized about God is that He’s not concerned so much with my abilities either. He’s more concerned with my availability. The great thing is God has given us a number of great examples in the Bible of people who didn’t feel capable.
AV Isaiah 6:8: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here [am] I; send me.” Isaiah saw a vision of God here. In verses leading up to this one, Isaiah even expressed his own shortcomings. He said, “Woe [is] me! for I am undone; because I [am] a man of unclean lips.” But this was good. Although Isaiah was overcome by what he had just seen, this statement also demonstrated his humility. Also, he then said, “Send me.” See, Isaiah was willing and available for God to use him.
The best-known way to add vitamin C to the diet and avoid food that will irritate the prostate, such as spicy food, red meat, smoking, drinking alcohol, coffee, etc. levitra sample Are there any Adverse viagra ordering on line Effects when Taking the Medication? Any side effects after taking the medication results in an instant erection. Stem Cell Transplant is a sildenafil for sale new technique in treating Diabetes and hypertension. Vegetables Make sure you get the health levitra uk benefits from a whole range of vegetables. AV Isaiah 1:19, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:” Here, another verse in Isaiah tells us not to just be obedient, but willing. God is concerned about our heart condition. He doesn’t want His people to just be a bunch of disgruntled, but obedient people. He wants us to do things for Him out of a willing heart. Our reward in this is that we not only will have the knowledge of having done His will, but also being blessed because of it. Obedience brings blessing. So, God values an obedient heart.
AV John 14:26: ‘But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” Sometimes I don’t feel confident in the knowledge that I will know what to say to people. This is the case when talking to them about God, or in just having the right word of encouragement. One thing we need to always acknowledge is our dependence on the Holy Spirit. When we are humble enough to admit that we don’t have all the answers, this leaves room for God to work in us and through us. He now has a humble and willing vessel. And this is the great thing—He often uses us the greatest when we feel the most inadequate. So, we don’t need to worry about our own abilities. He can still use us.
AV Mark 1:17-18: “And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.” Being used by God will involve us letting go of some things. Sometimes that may mean some material things. Maybe it means letting go of a career path, a group of friends, or a just some of your free time. But sometimes it just means letting go of old ways of thinking or doing things. It says, “They forsook their nets”, and this is important—sometimes He wants us to let go of something we’ve been holding onto for too long. Sometimes we need to let go of something difficult for us to release. Because sometimes these things have too high of a position in our hearts. God just wants us to let go of it so we can follow Him with all our hearts. Otherwise, these things can hold us back from Him using our avail-“ability”.
AV Isaiah 6:8: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here [am] I; send me.”
AV Isaiah 1:19, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:”
AV John 14:26: ‘But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
AV Mark 1:17-18: “And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.”
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