Have you ever found yourself in a position where you felt inadequate? Maybe it was your first day in high school, a new job role you started, or uncharted territory for you as a parent. Maybe you recently became a group leader, joined a serve team, or are leading a club at school. From time to time, we find ourselves in situations that we aren’t fully prepared for. Often these are positions of responsibility that we may be stepping into for the first time.  

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I can think of countless moments in which I’ve found myself – work, relationships, school, and everyday life – when I didn’t know what to do. This includes stepping into new things in ministry.  Once it seemed clear where God was leading, it was by faith that I continued to take steps forward, trusting that he would provide what was needed. I'll be the first to admit I often want to have everything figured out or be an expert before I get involved in something. It's good to have an awareness of our capabilities, skills, and experience, but our strengths and limitations are only a small part of the equation.  

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In today's Scripture, we see Solomon, a man who’s been placed in a great role of leadership as king. There is great authority, influence, and responsibility that's been bestowed on him. He’s been entrusted with stewarding God’s people, yet he expresses feeling inadequate for the job.  

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What’s your tendency in situations like Solomon’s? When you’re in over your head with responsibility, do you run away? Do you look within, trying to find your own wisdom? Do you reach for the latest leadership book? Do you panic? It's often easy to lean on our own logic, look for worldly wisdom, or even think of our circumstances as a curse rather than an opportunity. What if we considered that God isn’t surprised by any of it? What if he blessed you with the opportunity to grow and to bring him glory in a situation that you aren't capable of on your own? Not to crush you or make you go it alone, but so that you could turn to him for all that you need.

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This is the moment we pick up in today's verse. God is telling Solomon to ask for what he needs. God also tells you and I to do the same. We receive this instruction all throughout the Bible. James 1 tells us to ask God for wisdom and Philippians 4 tells us to not be anxious but to ask God for what we need with thanksgiving. Solomon comes before the Lord with recognition for the blessings and opportunity God has poured out. He asks God for what is needed to fulfill this calling. I encourage you to read on to see how Solomon doesn’t ask God to instantly help him have it all figured out; instead, he invites the deeper work that God wants to do so that he can lead his people well.  

What if the next time we found ourselves in over our head with responsibility, authority, or influence, we went to the Lord with a heart of gratitude, asked him to do a deep work in us, and trusted that he was in control. Someone recently shared a piece of wisdom that was shared with them long ago – God is going to do great things through you, and you really need to know that he wants to do a deep work in you. By my experience, that deep work God is doing in me tends to happen in those opportunities he's placed me in that feel like I’m filling some pretty big shoes. God is going to work, but he wants to do something really meaningful in you through the process. So next time you're tempted to lean on your own understanding or worldy wisdom, instead ask the Lord what he wants to do.