“God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.”
This is a popular saying among Christians that, like most popular sayings, is both true and not true. It’s true in the sense that God has a generous track record of calling unlikely, untrained individuals. Shepherds, prostitutes, and unlearned fishermen have all occupied significant roles in the story of God.
However, God also has a track record of calling very equipped people. Moses was raised in a palace under the leadership influence of Pharaoh. The prophet Elisha was discipled by the great prophet Elijah. The apostle Paul was an expert in the Law, having studied and trained in it since childhood. And Bezalel, Oholiab, and the other builders of the tabernacle were “skilled,” possessing all the “wisdom and understanding to know how to do all the work” (Exodus 36:1).
These different stories capture the paradox of calling, which consists of two seemingly conflicting truths:
On the one hand, God always provides what we need for the task. Whether it’s talent, training, or a handful of loaves and fish, God’s provision is sufficient for His purposes. We can trust this to be true, and it should instill us with confidence and peace.
On the other hand, we are not sufficient on our own. Moses was trained to be a leader, but he could not summon down plagues. Paul knew the Law, but he relied on the Holy Spirit to deliver understanding. And although the artisans possessed both the talent and the instructions to build the tabernacle, there was nevertheless a lot they didn’t know. They didn’t know what the cherubim should look like. They didn’t know the precise designs of the curtains. They were given a rough sketch, a partial vision, and then expected to construct the rest in faith.
That is the tension of calling. God provides us with more than enough (v.7), but not so much as to free us from dependence on Him. The secret to managing this tension is guarding the focus of our call, which is Christ alone. When we make our calling about us, we swing between insecurity and pride; between fears about our insufficiency, and a greedy clamoring for fame. But when we remember our calling is about Christ, both our inabilities and abilities are granted an appropriate amount of weight.
We see this balance in the building of the tabernacle: skilled workers, equipped with enough, relying on God for the rest of the vision, and doing it all for the glory of God. They had what they needed, but they never stopped needing God. Our own callings should look the same. We can step into God’s purpose, radiating confidence, while humbly pointing others to the source of it: our all-sufficient Savior.
Per Sharon’s point, Maybe we should change the quote to “God doesn’t call the equipped. He equipps the called and feeds them daily with guidance and provision”. 
As I’m reading all the comments I’m listening to Christian music. I’ve already heard several songs that we had in Tanner’s service. I could actually listen and not fall apart. Progress…Although yesterday I fell apart making egg salad and listening to music. It’s baby steps…
God provided me with the strength, courage, and perseverance to take care of my son. I did it for 33 years. Without God’s faithful help and guidance I could not have made it through. The goodness of God has provided me with all I need and more. I’m always so very thankful.
Prayers Heidi.
Jennifer Loves Jesus thank you for your comment! So good.
So like many of you, the comment about the “the tention in God’s calling…” was a big one for me. I’ll be starting my first semester of seminary in a couple of weeks and I’ve been battling a lot of thoughts telling me You’re not equipped for this/your wasting time and money to just go fail. Grateful for a man who loves and supports me through these moments of feeling so inadequate.
But I think the biggest question mark at the moment is financial. I am going to continue to work part time 3 days a week so that I can pick my kids up from preschool/elementary school in the afternoons. My husband has been the majority financial contributor to our family, but that has shifted in the last few months. He owns his own agency and through no fault of his own, work has just stopped coming in… and when new clients do come in, it again is through nothing he’s done, it’s a “random” thing that pays out well and then is gone. He has been really wise in being able to see God‘s hand in all of it and recognizing God is working hard to really teach us that our finances come directly from His hand and He holds the right to decide how he wants it to reach us. For a majority of our life it has been through our jobs but we feel like He is over and over and over again interrupting that plan and wanting to teach a different level of dependence on Him.
To put it all plainly, we don’t know if my husband should completely shut down his agency and go get a full-time 9-to-5 job. For a while now we have been gratefully and joyfully financially supporting my parents and last week we had to call and let them know that while we believe that God will continue to provide for them, for right now it cannot be through us. We have lived in financial excess for years now and it’s just not the situation anymore. With the added expenses of seminary and my youngest starting preschool, we just can’t make it work. My dad is a retired pastor and they have no fear in any of this and fully know that God is going to continue to provide for them. Their home is fully paid for and their expenses are not outrageous thankfully. But.. So much feels up in the air right now and it’s frightening. I don’t even know necessarily what to pray for other than wisdom end guidance and courage. This is a lot! I don’t even know if anyone will read this, but I do pray that if you have made it through to the end of this post, would you please bring my husband Ryan and I before our collective heavenly father that we could have some confirmation and what we’re doing what he wants to bless.
Thanks for the continued interest in my niece :) Your comments are timely- she’s been doing really well until this weekend when she decided it would be ok to have a couple drinks… she’s 5 months sober (from drugs) as of yesterday (Sunday) which is so huge and we are so proud of her… Alcohol hasn’t really ever been an “addictive vice” for her which is why she didn’t feel it would be a bad idea. The issue her dad and I are bringing up is that it lowers her inhibitions to make choices she wouldn’t make if sober (ie- possibly drugs again). Not to mention, her brain is wired to do all or nothing. Having a couple drinks over the course of an evening isn’t a option for her – it’s either none or drink until your out of control. A huge praise is that she came to a lot of this conclusion herself after getting drunk on Friday. We are super encouraged by the fact that she could come to that conclusion. At the same time we feel like she is on a slippery slope with some of this and prayers for wisdom and encouragement and godly knowledge as well as the courage to live it out I think are really necessary in her life right now.
Thank y’all for loving a girl you don’t even know and fighting for her through Spiritual means… your prayers are not in vain and I know are heard by our Father…❤️
Each day I approach God with an open mind and a willing heart. I lay down my own strength and rely on His. Looking to Him first widens my view and my ability to love others better. Nothing on this earth should bind me if I have faith in Jesus. He came as the better sacrifice so that I could walk in freedom to approach God freely and without fear. Where once we were wandering sheep, we are now carried on the shoulders of the Shepherd. None of our suffering is equal to His. Sometimes choosing joy and praising God is the opposite of what makes sense. When life is hard, praise is hard. Joy is hard to muster. But like a grape crushed by pressure to produce sweet wine, I have learned to let go and let God bring me through the hardest times. His sweetness is always there for me. I have learned to offer a sacrifice of praise to God because I love Him. Because He first loved me. I trust my sovereign Lord because I believe He has everything under control. He works all things for my good because I love Him and am called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). No amount of crushing will separate me from Him. So I pray for patience and steadfastness, strength in my weakness, comfort in distress, and the will to keep fighting. In obedience and contentment I face this day. Lord, keep my heart soft and focused on You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
“When we make our calling about us, we swing between insecurity and pride. Between fear about our insufficiency and a greedy clamoring for fame.” I love it when a devotional hits me like a ton of bricks. I’m currently going through a situation where I’m stepping into these two states, and it’s been on my mind all week, praying and reflecting about it. And it’s this— I’m making it about me. Isn’t it amazing how, in the daily grind of life, we can loose sight of this simple yet all powerful fact? it is ALL about Christ.
Thanks for refreshing our minds with our dear friends’ names… Taylor has also been coming to mind, as well as Heidi’s niece…( who was in rehab) Lifting us all to Jesus, this morning… thanks for SRT, a great vehicle for connection, instruction in righteousness, and ever pointing us to God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit our counselor, and the Beauty, Goodness, and Truth of Gods Word!
Dependence and obedience – how many times do I fail at these? Thank you, Lord, for Your patience.
KELLY (NEO) – thank you for your list of those we miss this morning! I had planned to post one almost identical – praying all are okay. Also thinking about LYNNE FROM AL.