What To Do When You Feel Inadequate and Overwhelmed

My daughter turned 18 yesterday (2016), but I received the greater gift. Each year I do.

Year after year I’m blessed with the love, joy and innocence of this precious young lady. And I’m incredibly grateful.

Yet, at the same time, I feel totally inadequate for stewarding this precious treasure I’ve been entrusted with.

Inadequate for the Task

Honestly, I’ve felt inadequate for raising and guiding each of my children. There are just too many unknowns. Too much uncertainty in life.

Yet by the grace of God, the boys have done well, and I imagine will continue to do so as they begin to strike out on their own.

With Rachel, though, it’s different. She has global developmental delays.

She doesn’t follow typical charts of development, physically or mentally. She won’t follow the traditional education-to-work path. She can’t help make many of the decisions involving her future.

Often I find my thoughts spiraling through such questions as,

How am I to guide her well?

How am I supposed to properly care for her, physically, mentally, emotionally?

How am I supposed to prepare well for her future needs?

How am I supposed to prepare myself for the inevitable separation adulthood brings?

And then I conclude that I’m far too inadequate to do this special need parenting thing well. 

Take the Next Best Step

The questions are many, with more added every day. The insecurity is real and powerful.

But I’ve found the answer is always to simply take the next best step, trusting in God’s plan!

In every uncertain situation, the answer to our feeling of inadequacy is take the next best step, trusting God's plan Share on X

Even more, I’ve discovered this to be the answer in all of our more uncertain life circumstances.

Okay, I know, it sounds incredibly simple, almost a platitude: Just trust. Simply follow God. Take the next step.

Yet, no matter how simple it sounds, this action embodies great power.

Because in Jesus Christ we discover the “possible” in every “impossible” task. In Christ, we find the “adequate” in our “inadequate.”

In Jesus Christ we discover the 'possible' in every 'impossible' task, the 'adequate' in our 'inadequate.' Share on X

He provides where we lack. And there is never anything He can’t defeat or overcome.

There is never a question He doesn’t already have an answer for. There is never a situation He doesn’t have the solution for — and not just any solution, but the best one.

God Provides Where You Lack

God provides for all of our inadequacies and frustrations.

Whatever uncertainty we face, He offers a greater well of peace.

Whatever sadness we encounter, He provides a greater reservoir of joy.

Whatever evil we experience, He pours out a greater abundance of love.

However weary we feel, He supplies a greater amount of strength.

And none of it — peace, joy, love, strength — ever runs out!

God provides for all of our inadequacies & frustrations: providing greater peace, joy, love, & strength. Share on X

We can step out confidently in our inadequacies because we have One who is fully adequate, and He always provides enough light for that next best step.

We can step out confidently in our inadequacies because we have One who is fully adequate. Share on X

Trust Him, my friend. Take that next step. I promise, you won’t be left to forge your path alone.

“The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
    I will advise you and watch over you.“ Psalm 32:8, NLT

Reflections: What situation has you feeling inadequate? If you surrender your fears and trust God to be your guide, what do you sense is the best next step to take? 

Going on 5 years of counting and I’m nearing 5,000 gifts in Ann Voskamp’s Joy Dare! What a blessing! Here are numbers #5042–5062. Read my entire list by clicking here.