The Holy Spirit empowers believers to accomplish God’s will.

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 2 Corinthians 3:1-6

Inadequacy can be a roadblock to doing God’s will, deterring us from stepping out in faith. It’s not sin to feel insufficient, but we can miss the mark by complacently accepting that attitude.

Even Paul felt inadequate, but he didn’t allow his feelings to prevent his sharing the gospel. (See 1 Timothy 1:15-16.) Instead, he allowed his limitations to drive him closer to God. For believers, the correct reaction is prayer and biblical meditation so that our ability to rely on the Lord is strengthened.

God’s Spirit enables us to achieve whatever He calls us to do. The disciples followed Jesus for years, but His final instructions left no doubt concerning their need for divine help: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8). Our inadequacy, like that of the disciples, showcases God’s ability to do great things with so little. Remember, Moses and David were shepherds and Gideon was least among Israel’s men (Judges 6:15), yet the Lord accomplished amazing feats through all three of them.

Our inadequacy can turn out to be a blessing by driving us to greater dependence upon God. Like Paul, we are able to say, “I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).