Embracing Inadequacy reveals our thirst for the One who is adequate (Part 4)
Glory does not lie in our inadequacy, but lies in the adequacy of Christ discovered in our weakness and in our insufficiency — Alistair Begg
I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst — John 6:35
The very desire to hide something in fact reveals a deeper desire. What we are trying to protect is a representation what we are actually craving. Masking our inadequacies and insecurities reveals that we desperately desire to be accepted and approved and will attempt to hide the things which threaten that. A pet sin, an embarrassing moment, a shameful past, etc. Here’s the madness of it all, if revelation of our inadequacy is the means that brought us to the feet of Jesus in the first place, why would we recoil from something which opened the door to such sweet embrace? In other words, if inadequacy brought us to Christ, it will also aid in keeping us clutched to Him in dependency. The end goal in embracing our inadequacy isn’t to find a cure for it, it’s to find Christ more satisfying. Charles Spurgeon is often quoted, “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages”. Similarly, we too need to kiss the wave of our inadequacy, to which throws us into the arms of our Good Shepherd. We need to let our inadequacies become the doorway into our Father’s heart not roadblocks to intimacy. When we authentically accept the reality that we are inadequate by design, we will find ourselves craving more of Jesus. Jonathan Parnell writes, “When we embrace weakness, it means we’ve looked at ourselves long enough to know we can’t make it without looking to Another”. The commitment to conceal or pretend is in itself a broken cistern trying to satisfy a thirst for acceptance and approval that can only be found in the Gospel.
My own experience with this topic has been manifested in dozens of ways, but primarily in shame of my slenderness (since adolescence) and failure in public speaking. Both have been exposed the last 10 years and by providence, both have found a unique presence of my Redeemer in them. There is still a tension; inadequacy surfacing on one hand and God’s call to walk in faith towards Him on the other. Pride has also been revealed. Simply put, inadequacy that doesn't put you at the foot of the cross is pride wrapped in a humble appearing package. Walking forward means saying “yes” to things I’d normally hide from and exposing things previously hidden. This is repentance and through repentance I’ve found inadequacy not as a crippling yoke to disguise but rather as a means to lift my gaze up to Jesus the Adequate One, my Savior and friend. It is Christ’s adequacy that has become precious during this process!
“How desirable is a Savior to a troubled soul!” — Thomas Watson
