Today’s Verse
“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
1 Corinthians 1:27 (NIV)
Called, Then Equipped
You’ve probably heard the saying: “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called.” It’s one of those phrases that sounds encouraging until you’re actually standing on the edge of something God is asking you to do, and you feel completely unqualified. Then it stops being a nice quote and becomes a intimidating reality you have to trust.
God has a pattern of calling people who have no business doing what He’s asking them to do. Moses couldn’t speak well – God called him to confront Pharaoh and lead a nation. Gideon was hiding in a winepress, convinced he was the least qualified person in Israel – God called him to lead an army. David was the youngest, smallest, least experienced – God called him to fight a giant.
None of them were ready. None of them had the credentials. And that was exactly the point.
When I look at what God might be calling me to, whether it’s a specific task, a new season, a step of faith, my first instinct is to list my deficiencies. I don’t have the experience. I don’t have the time. I lack the skills. I’m not qualified. Someone else would be better. And all of that might be true. But God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.
This is backward from how the world works. In the world, you get qualified first, then you get the job. You build the resume, gain the experience, prove yourself capable, then you’re selected. But God flips that order. He calls first. Then He equips. He doesn’t wait for you to be ready and then invite you. He invites you, and makes you ready as you go.
The question isn’t “Am I qualified?” It’s “Am I called?” And if the answer is yes, then the equipment will come. Moses got Aaron as his spokesman and God’s presence going before him. Gideon got an army reduced to 300 so no one could claim the victory. David got a stone, a sling, and the certainty that the battle belonged to the Lord. Each received exactly what they needed, when they needed it.
Today, if God is calling you to something that feels way beyond your capacity, that’s probably a good sign it’s actually Him. And He’ll equip you for it, exactly when you need it.
Today’s Prayer
Lord, You don’t call the equipped, You equip the called, which means my inadequacy isn’t disqualifying but exactly the point, the starting place for Your power to work.
I look at what You’re calling me to and immediately list my deficiencies, all the skills I lack, experience I don’t have, qualifications I’m missing, forgetting You don’t need those.
Teach me that being equipped comes after being called, not before, that You don’t wait for me to be ready and then call, You call and then make me ready.
You specialize in calling unlikely people, the unqualified, the unprepared, the ones who know they can’t do it, because then everyone knows it’s Your power, not theirs.
Help me stop using my lack of qualifications as an excuse to decline Your calling, to say yes first and trust You’ll provide what I need as I obey.
Remind me that every hero of faith felt unqualified, Moses stuttered, Gideon hid, David was youngest, but You equipped them for exactly what You called them to do.
Give me courage to accept Your calling even when I feel completely unprepared, trusting that You never call without equipping, never send without providing what’s needed.
Let me step into what You’re calling me to today, knowing that God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called, and I am called.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Art print
If this devotional has spoken to you, the full 8 × 10″ art print is available to bring into your home. It’s printed on quality art paper, unframed and ready to place wherever you need a quiet reminder that God will equip you. You can find it in my shop, with free shipping included.