With You

By: Katie Gibson

I used to believe that if God called me to do something, that it would be easy.

I mean, surely if it was God’s plan, then He would clear a wide the path for me. Surely, He would bestow some supernatural strength or ability, and make me impervious to fear. Surely, I would never have any opposition or troubles… right?

The only thing I’m sure of now is how wrong I was then.

It seems like a blink-of-an-eye ago that I was pregnant and eagerly awaiting the fulfillment of my life-long dream of becoming a mom. I’d always been really great at babysitting and enjoyed children of all ages, so I somehow got the idea that motherhood would be “easy-peasy.”

Girl, was I wrong.

Two years and two kids later, I felt over my head and mega-under qualified. I knew God had called me to this role, but the task seemed too great for my mistake-making, limited and sinful self.

I cried, “God, why would you call me to something that I am seemingly incapable of doing well?”

And that’s not all-- motherhood was just the beginning of coming to the end of myself. I can’t count the number of times this same scene has played out in different areas of my life. The scene where God leads me to do something and my response reads something like the story of Moses:

Moses was not only a murderer, but a self-proclaimed terrible speaker, and yet God called Him to lead the people of Israel out of captivity and into the Promised Land. What a task!

Moses’ first encounter with God at the burning bush (Exodus 3) went something like this:

God: “Moses, I’ve chosen you to lead my people out of captivity and into the Promised Land.”

Moses: “Psh! Who am I to lead your people?”


“Who am I… ?” Don’t we feel this way so often?

God, who am I to be entrusted with these precious gifts?
Or, who am I to start a Bible study?
Or, who am I to [fill in the blank].


Do you know what’s most interesting to me about the way God responds to Moses?

He doesn’t pat Moses on the back to affirm his abilities.
He doesn’t say, “Dude, you’ve got this!”
He doesn’t zap Moses with the magical ability to speak and lead well.

No, He simply says these four words: “I will be with you.”


The truth is: Moses couldn’t do it. We cannot do “it” either. Alone, that is. God is a necessary component to the equation. God puts us in over our heads because that’s exactly where He receives the glory-- when we rely on Him

When we’re having those “Who am I…?” moments, it is because we are looking to ourselves to have enough, be enough and do enough to fulfill His purpose, and we just can’t. But WITH God, we can.

With God, we can make wise decisions.
With God, we can love our child who’s being difficult.
With God, we can have successful marriages.
With God, we can have the strength to rise every morning and serve our families well— for His glory.

Sister, God has called us to this season of motherhood, but He never called us do it alone. He is with us. In Christ, we are enough; in Him, we have everything we need. With God, all things are possible.

With God, Moses the murderer became Moses the model leader. With God, we can carry out His mission for our lives, no matter how limited, under-qualified and unprepared we feel. Today let’s tune our ears to His voice, seek His wisdom and rely on His strength as we walk with Him.


Word of the Day:
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Prayer:
Father God, Thank you for your call on my life to be a mom. Forgive me for trying to do this motherhood thing on my own at times. When I’m in over my head, remind me when I am not strong, you are; when I don’t know the answers, you do; when challenges are insurmountable, you are my deliverer. Thank you that you are with me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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