Coasting on competence

Sometimes I find myself hearing or reading a phrase that has a strength of impact that takes me by surprise. This happened recently at a meeting at church. It set me off on my own thoughts, and I have to confess the discussion that followed over the next few minutes passed me by as I reflected on that one phrase. Looking back, I don’t recall the full context in which it was said, but for me at that time it somehow felt very important. The phrase was coasting on competence.
 
In my previous blog I reflected on the importance of using God’s precious gift of life to the full. He has equipped us to serve Him within the church and the wider world, and He calls us to be active in using all the gifts and opportunities He gives us. And while it’s possible to do this faithfully and, indeed, fruitfully, maybe at times we could and should be doing more.
 
Sometimes I think we can use the gifts God has given us and grown in us in an undemanding way. We drift along, unaware of or resistant to the possibility that He wants us to grow, to receive new gifts from Him, to move on to new challenges with Him. Our faith becomes comfortable - too comfortable - and we lose the sense of urgency to keep moving on.
 
Maybe life feels challenging enough already, and the thought of taking on something new, something different, is just too daunting. Maybe we’re afraid of what God might call us to do, that it will be too costly for us. Maybe we simply feel comfortable with the way things are and want to keep the status quo; if I’m serving God and it’s bearing fruit, what’s the point of changing things? So we rest on what’s familiar, what’s known, coasting along in an undemanding way.
 
The Bible is full of people who struggled to face up to God’s call on their lives - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Moses, Gideon … but He took them beyond their fear, their reluctance, their feelings of inadequacy and used them powerfully. And He will do the same with us too, This isn’t about trying to earn God’s favour; rather, confident that we are already dearly loved and chosen by Him, it’s about being open to Him using our lives however He wants.
 
Lord, thank you for all the ways you’ve already gifted me and used me to serve you and others. Please give me the courage and openness to you doing new things in and through me, and to sharing new adventures in faith with you. Amen

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay