Stolen praise

Are you ever in a situation in which you feel just completely inadequate for the task at hand?

Being a bit of a self-doubter, I'm quite often in these situations! There are times when I feel quite out of my comfort zone, and very much under-resourced and under-equipped to do something. It might when talking to a non-Christian about God. It might be when doing a talk on a difficult subject. It might be when confronting someone about an issue in their life.

Whatever it is, aren't those the times that you feel most reliant on God? For me, they tend to be the times that I pray longest and most passionately, because I know that I absolutely need God.

What I'm ashamed to say though is that when I get through the situation and it has gone well, my reaction is often to feel proud. 'That was a really hard thing to do and I did it well - I'm pretty good aren't I!'.

Two lessons:
1. Recognise that whether I feel out of my comfort zone or not, I cannot do anything with any worthwhile result or with any degree of skill unless I have the help of God. God sometimes graciously uses things when I'm not relying on him, but that's no excuse to not rely on him in everything!
2. Don't realise you can't do something, plead to God for his help and then (having done something you can't do but which God has done through you) take the praise for what he's done. Praise him who has earned it! Pride comes in many guises.