(I originally wrote this post for my friend Sandi Krakowski several months ago. It’s impact for her audience has been so big that I wanted to share it with you.)
“I just don’t know if I can do it.”
“What if I don’t have anything valuable to say?”
“Will people even listen to me?”
“Who am I to tell people what they should do?”
Do you recognize any of those phrases or the emotions behind them? They represent the most common, underlying fear and hesitation of all would-be entrepreneurs. Am I worthy? 
It starts harmless enough. We have a desire to do more and be more. Somewhere in our souls, a fire kindles and warms us to the thought that we can have meaningful impact on the world through our experiences and interests. The idea is so exciting that we consider the possibility of stoking that small fire into a business of our very own.
We allow ourselves to dream far enough that we see the leading edge of our potential and begin to feel the electricity of our God-given gifts coming alive. This is it! Maybe we’ve denied this part of ourselves for years because we just didn’t know how to use it, but now, with our eyes on the horizon, it all feels very real.
And somewhere between that beautiful horizon and the mud at our feet, we remember who we are.
“Who am I kidding? I’ll never be able to do that.”
“People who do these sorts of things are more gifted than I am.”
“Too many others are already doing this, so I probably wouldn’t succeed.”
“I couldn’t lead others until I’ve got my life totally together.”
“What makes me think I’m worthy of doing something so many others have failed at?”
On the verge of unleashing your gifts and joining the fight to uphold joy, happiness, and prosperity… the enemy comes to the gate and cuts us off. Not by attacking us, but by having us attack ourselves. By using the hopeless and weary to cast doubts and call our worthiness and motives into question.
Whether you realize it or not, this is the real battle. Our gifts are our weapons in the world. If we choose to sit in fear that we won’t know how to use them, the battle is over. How much of a threat is an opponent that won’t pick up their weapon? None!
“But I don’t know how to use my gifts, my weapons. What if they aren’t big enough or I’m not good enough to fight?”
Ask the boy David about the size of your weapon? A well placed stone is much more effective than an unmanned battleship. Whatever you have, pick it up and use it.
The issue I find 98% of the time is not someone doubting the size or might of gifts. Instead, they shrink because they don’t feel like they can use it. They look at themselves as a weak, faulty, and scarred peasant with no right to take up arms, let alone charge into battle.
This is where you must ask yourself, “what do I believe?”
If you believe that interests, desires are fleeting events of chance, and that your ability to succeed is defined at birth with no chance to grow and develop… you’re being used as a tool of destruction. You are among those at the gate, standing in the way of those that want a chance at glory.
Your limited view of human potential and unwillingness to acknowledge the brilliance of our design has rendered you a witless pawn. In your mind, you are voice of reason who only wants to protect others from themselves. In reality, your unbelief is a smoke screen, obscuring the view of what is really waiting outside of the walls. But it isn’t too late for you.
If you believe, like I do, that our interests and desires are fruits of our gifts and our ability to succeed is limited only by our willingness to grow… it’s time to take heart. You might be standing inside the gate right now, wanting to join in but unsure if you know how to use your gift. I have exciting news for you!
Your King is outside the gate, beyond the walls, and He is calling to you to come forward! His voice is joyous because you’ve recognized your gift. You’ve found your weapon! “Now!” He calls, “Now is the time to join the fight! Don’t worry about your skill or your worth. I only need you to be willing to stand with me.”
This isn’t about your worth. This is about your willingness. If you believe that God knit your gifts into you then you must believe that He knows how they can best be used. Step out! Push the crowd aside and willing step to His side.
“I gave you the gift,” He reminds you, “Let me show you where and how to use it and I’ll never let you fail!”
Do not hang your self-worth on what others may say. They didn’t give you the gifts. Do not shrink from anyone in your field who might discourage you. They are not using their gifts to fight with their King. If they were, they would celebrate the arrival of another warrior.
Most of all, when anyone or anything would come against you, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord. (Jer. 1:8)”
And for all the things I’ve said here about you and your gifts, I want to finish by saying, this isn’t about you. Our gifts were not given for our benefit, but for the benefit of the Kingdom. Yes, the proper use of our gifts will bring us great favor and prosperity, but those aren’t the benefits.
In ways that we may never know or understand, the use of our gifts liberates others to do the same. I pray that my willingness to take up my gift and stand for my King Jesus is an example that liberates you. Be your best.
Author’s note: PJ McClure is the world’s foremost authority on using your mindset to achieve personal and professional success. His passionate and purposeful approach has reached 85 countries and more than 400,000 people through blog, books, and syndicated articles. His Goals Guide has been downloaded more than 4,000 times this year and is changing the face of success. Get a copy as our gift by going here.
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