4 The Lord’s word came to me:
5 “Before I created you in the womb I knew you;
before you were born I set you apart;
I made you a prophet to the nations.”
6 “Ah, Lord God,” I said, “I don’t know how to speak
because I’m only a child.”
7 The Lord responded,
“Don’t say, ‘I’m only a child.’
Where I send you, you must go;
what I tell you, you must say.
8 Don’t be afraid of them,
because I’m with you to rescue you,”
declares the Lord.
9 Then the Lord stretched out his hand,
touched my mouth, and said to me,
“I’m putting my words in your mouth.
10 This very day I appoint you over nations and empires,
to dig up and pull down,
to destroy and demolish,
to build and plant.”
Reflection
Who knew even biblical figures experienced Imposter Syndrome? Have you heard of this? You’ve almost certainly experienced it, even if you didn’t realize it at the time.
Imposter Syndrome is a mental health phenomenon that has been studied since the 1970s in which the subject feels as if they are not worthy, unqualified, a fraud, and generally lucked into their accomplishments. Some people experience this more severely than others and it becomes a cycle that needs focused practice to break free, but studies have found that nearly everyone has experienced imposter syndrome at some point in their life. So I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised to read that even Jeremiah felt underqualified to speak on behalf of the Lord.
Been there, Jeremiah… been there.
Back in 2019, the school I worked at had earned the title of a National School Of Character, which meant we were nationally recognized for our efforts in teaching our students good character, not just good academics. My position was in charge of Character Education in our school, so when it came time for the Character Ed conference in Washington D.C. I was definitely going! Then my principal asked me to apply to be a speaker. I applied, not thinking much because, well, it was just little ol’ me… no way they would choose me. But then they did.
Cue the panic: ALL OF THE NOPE! I AM NOT QUALIFIED! I’M JUST ME! WHAT ON EARTH DO I HAVE TO OFFER THESE PEOPLE THAT ARE WAY MORE EXPERIENCED IN EDUCATION THAN I AM??? AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Much to my relief, when I arrived at the speaking space, it was a small classroom with only a handful of people in the audience… this I could handle. I gave my presentation on our application experience, answered questions, shared a few laughs, and even exchanged contact information with audience members to help them in their own Character Ed journeys. I still can’t believe I did that. I still can’t believe I get to put that in my resume. As I write this, I still feel like I only got there by luck and people in the audience were just being polite.
It’s my faith that keeps me going when my imposter syndrome is trying to hold me back. I’ve never heard the voice of God, but I focus on trusting that when an opportunity like that falls into my lap, it was actually put there on purpose. I have to believe that when I have an opportunity to share anything with an audience, even if only one person takes one thing away from my sharing, it is worth it and I am worthy.
by Ashley Bowler
For Pondering and Prayer
When have you felt underqualified for a task that someone else assigns you?
When have you felt like the new kid on the block in a room full of seasoned experts?
How do you redirect your thoughts to feel the presence of God reminding you of your worth?
Prayer: Dear Lord, just like Jeremiah, we all have moments of doubting our self-worth. We’ve all had a moment when we weren’t sure if our ability or a miracle made something happen. Whether it was our ability or a miracle, both are evidence of our worth in Your purpose. Help us feel Your presence and know that no matter where we find ourselves, we were chosen by You, created by You, and that alone makes us worthy. Amen.
