Rodney Howard Browne | The Gift of Inadequacy

Many of us would scoff at the concept of inadequacy as any sort of blessing. Too many of us have been tortured by such feelings instead of sanctified by them. At the same time, Christians can use them as stepping stones to blessing : Our inadequacy forces us to do our work in the power of the Holy Spirit. Anything that places us on our knees and drives us to God needs to be good. An awareness of our limitation can relieve us of the load of attempting to do God’s will in our own strength.

Without the Holy Spirit, we’re going to be crushed by weights we can’t carry. Another blessing is that such awareness “frees” God to use us to the maximum of our potential. When we are lowly enough to feel our need, then God will raise us to great heights. Recognizing our inabilities permits God to get all of the glory for His work.

Spiritually minded folk can tell when something is of God and when it is not. If you are in the Spirit, the glory will justly go to the Lord. Inadequacy can enable us to live in happiness and silence of spirit. Either we’re going to give God our burdens and stop attempting, or we intend to proceed in our own strength and become overwhelmed. Like Paul, we shouldn’t claim adequacy in ourselves, but rather recognize that our adequacy is from God.

( two Corinthians 3:5 ) What area in your life are you attempting to manage in your own power? Relinquish control and watch for God’s blessing.