Do
you ever
feel a
tinge of
insecurity
as you
pursue
your
ministry
calling
or live
out your
life?
Sometimes,
demands
crop up
for
which we
feel
under-qualified.
Big
opportunities
may
arise,
for
which we
feel we
have
little
skill or
ability.
Or maybe
just the
sum
total of
all the
"small"
responsibilities
make us
feel
buried
in a
pile of
self-doubt
and
stress.
If
you are
a woman
in
ministry,
you know
well how
you can
find
yourself
in the
midst of
ministry
and
suddenly
ask
yourself,
"How did
I get
this
job? I
can't do
this!"
If
you've
felt
that way
or
talked
to
yourself
that way
before
trust
me,
you're
not
alone!
I've
felt it
and done
it, and
I know
most
women in
ministry
feel it
and do
it every
now and
then.
But
we're in
good
company
because
a very
famous
prophet
did the
same
thing.
Let's
listen
in on a
little
conversation
between
the Lord
and
Jeremiah-whose
belittling
self-talk
had
convinced
him that
he was
too
inexperienced,
ineffective,
and
immature
to be of
any use
to God.
The Lord
took
issue
with
those
negative,
self-defeating
words of
the
prophet...
and the
rest is
history!
The
word of
the Lord
came to
him...
"Before
I formed
you in
the womb
I knew
you,
before
you were
born I
set you
apart;
I
appointed
you as a
prophet
to the
nations."
"Ah,
Sovereign
Lord," I
said, "I
do not
know how
to
speak; I
am only
a
child."
But
the Lord
said to
me, "Do
not say,
'I am
only a
child.'
You must
go to
everyone
I send
you to
and say
whatever
I
command
you. Do
not be
afraid
of them,
for I am
with you
and will
rescue
you,"
declares
the
Lord.
(Jeremiah
1:2, 5-8
NIV)
My
friend,
God
equips
whom He
calls.
He
rescues
those
who
trust
Him.
He
lovingly
corrects
our
erroneous
self-talk
with His
truthful
words.
So,
if you
feel a
little
bit like
Jeremiah
did, let
"the
word of
the
Lord"
come to
you,
too.
Tell the
Lord
your
trepidations,
and then
trust
the
Lord.
His
calling
upon
your
life is
secure,
so rest
in the
security
He
gives.
"For the
LORD
will be
your
confidence,
and will
keep
your
foot
from
being
caught."
(Proverbs
3:26)
Blessings
and Joy,
Jennifer
Rothschild
Author
of
Self
Talk,
Soul
Talk:
What to
Say When
You Talk
to
Yourself,
and
Founder
of
WomensMinistry.NET
