Thursday, September 25, 2008

Inadequacy


I need to deepen my writing skills. I must write better books. I need to help my publisher increase my sales. For them, for me, for my career. I need to figure out how to be a better team player with my publisher than I am now. So far I've been doing all these things to the best of my ability. But I gotta do better.

I feel totally inadequate to do any of these things.

And--that's a very good place to be.

Over the last few years God has taught me so many things. One of them is to embrace my inadequacy for any given task--and to trust Him to help me through it. Without God's direction, feeling inadequate is just plain miserable. It can lead to all kinds of fear. But if we get to the place where we can rest in our inadequacy, trusting Him to guide us and work through us, the inadequacy doesn't feel so bad. In fact it shines for what it is--a new opportunity for God to lead us, deepen our faith, take us to new heights.

Okay, so I'm inadequate. What's new? God isn't. That's what counts.

9 comments:

Rita Gerlach said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rita Gerlach said...

I think it is especially true for we women to feel this way. Are we good enough at being mothers, wives, friends, daughters? And you said it all for writers, Brandilyn.

So, thanks for the reminder to put our hands in the hands of the One who stilled the water...so the song goes.

Anonymous said...

Amen! The first step is to admit, right? No, seriously, thanks for the post. It's a great reminder that we need to first look to God. HE is NEVER inadequate, NEVER tired, NEVER overwhelmed....I could go on, but you get the picture.

Thanks for the post!

Domino said...

Thank you!!

I am so there.

D. Gudger said...

I just finished an e-mail to a friend about my "fear" of not measuring up as I try to expand the resolution of my mss and hook one of the two interested agents.

Inadequacy has been beating on my head since I arrived home. It's comforting to know even seasoned authors feel that need to improve and even struggle with inadequacy.

God isn't. You're rigth. that's what counts!

Susanne said...

Exactly what I needed. Thanks for the encouragement and reminder Brandilyn. He truly is suffiecient!

Diann Hunt said...

So true. Thank you for the reminder, Brandilyn.

Great to see you at conference!

Randy Mortenson said...

Amen.

Margaret Daley said...

I've been reading Purpose Driven Life and this was covered so well in that book. It makes sense as all things involving the Lord do, but knowing we need to embrace our weaknesses isn't always easy to do. I'm at the same place as you are, Brandilyn. I need to hone my skills, get better, be a team player, etc. I'm starting a book that overwhelms me at the moment, but God has given me this story. He will help me write it. I just have to keep remembering that when I panic about all I need to do just to put the first word on the paper.

By the way, I enjoyed talking to you at ACFW!

Margaret