In the kingdom of God, the measure of leadership is not one’s qualifications or inherent abilities but a willingness to trust and obey. The principle that “God does not call the equipped; He equips the called” runs like a golden thread through Scripture. When Moses stood before the burning bush, he carried no résumé of qualifications to lead a nation out of bondage. Instead, he was burdened by human doubt, which surfaced in five familiar excuses excuses that resonate with us today:
Moses first asked, “Who am I?” Moses questioned his own identity and worth, a reflection of his insecurity and perceived insignificance. But God’s response was clear: “I will be with you.”Leadership in God’s kingdom does not depend on who we are but on who He is. Our limitations are irrelevant when we are upheld by the infinite power of the Creator.
Moses then asked, “Who are you?” Moses expressed uncertainty about the God who called him, asking, “What should I say to them?” God revealed Himself as “I AM WHO I AM”—the eternal, self-sufficient One. This declaration reassures us that God’s authority and sovereignty are unshakable. His presence alone is enough to empower our calling.
Moses then asks, “What if they don’t listen?” Fear of rejection paralyzed Moses, just as it paralyzes many leaders today. But God assured Moses that He would provide evidence to validate the mission: miraculous signs that would leave no doubt of His power. In the same way, God equips His leaders with the tools, wisdom, and opportunities needed to fulfill their calling.
Moses then asked, “Aren’t I under-skilled?” Moses lamented his inability to speak eloquently, focusing on his perceived inadequacies. But God reminded him that He is the Creator of every mouth, the One who enables speech. Leadership is not about innate skill but about trusting God to work through our weaknesses. His strength is made perfect in our limitations. God will provide the people and opportunities in our lives that we need to succeed; even when it feels like those things are fighting our success, they just may be contributing.
Finally, Moses asked, “Isn’t there someone better?” Moses tried to pass the responsibility to someone else, doubting his own capacity to lead. Yet God’s choice of Moses was intentional. Leadership in the kingdom is not about being the best option in human eyes but about being obedient to God’s call. When He chooses us, He also equips us for the task.
These excuses are not unique to Moses; they echo in the hearts of many who feel the weight of leadership. Yet God’s responses to Moses remind us of timeless truths. It does not matter who we are, for God’s presence makes the difference. He is the great I AM, the One who provides, sustains, and empowers. Even when we feel underskilled, unworthy, or inadequate, the God who created all things will find a way for His message to get across. He is not bound by our limitations or doubts. His call is not about our comfort but about His glory. His choice of leaders is not about our strength but about His power working through our weaknesses. When God calls, He sees beyond the moment to the purpose He has ordained. It does not matter if we know someone who seems better equipped, more talented, or more experienced. God’s choice is sovereign, and His timing is perfect. If He has called you to lead, it is because He has chosen you for this time and place. He will equip you with everything you need to fulfill the mission, not for your own fame or fortune, but to advance His kingdom and glorify His name. In the kingdom of God, leadership is not defined by the accumulation of power or the pursuit of personal agendas. Instead, it is a call to faithfully manage the resources, opportunities, and people that God entrusts to those He has called to lead. Leaders in God’s kingdom are stewards, not owners. Their role is not to hoard influence or control but to serve the greater good of God’s purposes. This truth stands in stark contrast to the values of a world that prizes ownership, self-promotion, and individual gain. It shifts the focus from ownership to stewardship. A steward does not hold on to what they’ve been given for their own benefit but is entrusted with it for the sake of others. The faithful steward manages what belongs to another with integrity, always acting in alignment with the will of the one who entrusted it to them.
is acting in alignment with the will of the one who entrusted it to them. One of the clearest teachings on biblical stewardship is found in the Parable of the Talents. In this parable, a master entrusts his servants with varying amounts of talents (a form of money), each according to their ability. The servants are expected to invest these talents wisely and multiply them, demonstrating faithfulness in their stewardship. Two of the servants manage their talents wisely, investing and growing the resources they’ve been given. The third servant, however, hides his talent out of fear, hoarding what he has been given and failing to fulfill the responsibility entrusted to him. When the master returns, he praises the two faithful servants for their wise stewardship and rewards them with greater responsibilities. But to the servant who hoarded his talent, the master condemns him as wicked and lazy. “You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed,” the master says. “So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.” This parable teaches us several critical truths about leadership in the kingdom of God. First, it shows that leaders are entrusted with what belongs to God. The talents, gifts, and opportunities that God gives His people are not for personal gain or self-promotion but for the advancement of His kingdom. Leaders who hoard or misuse these resources, focusing on their own agendas, will answer to God for their lack of faithfulness. The parable underscores the need for faithfulness over mere ability or skill. The servant who hid his talent was not punished for lacking ability but for failing to act with faithfulness. This speaks to the heart of biblical leadership: God does not require perfection or worldly success; He requires us to be faithful in using what He has given us to build His kingdom, not our own. Leadership in the kingdom of God is about service, not self-promotion. The parable calls us to invest our spiritual gifts and talents in the advancement of God’s kingdom. Just as the servants were expected to multiply their talents, biblical leaders are called to use their spiritual gifts to lead others to Christ.
Leadership in the kingdom of God is not free from adversity. It is often forged in the fire of hardship, where leaders face opposition, discouragement, and even personal failure. Yet, it is through resilience in the face of adversity that leaders are shaped and strengthened, as they learn to rely not on their own strength but on the power and grace of God. The lives of biblical leaders like Moses, David, Peter, and Paul offer powerful examples of how failure, weakness, and mistakes do not disqualify us from God’s calling; rather, they can be stepping stones to greater effectiveness and influence in His kingdom. When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, He did not promise an easy road. In fact, Moses faced one of the most significant challenges of any leader in history. Not only did he have to stand before the mighty Pharaoh, but he also had to lead a stubborn and rebellious people toward freedom. The resistance Moses faced from Pharaoh and from the Israelites themselves was overwhelming. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and the people of Israel frequently grumbled and doubted God’s promise of deliverance. Yet, Moses persisted. He did not allow Pharaoh’s obstinance or the Israelites’ complaints to derail his mission. Time and again, Moses returned to the task at hand, trusting in God’s power to break the chains of Egypt, despite the failures and setbacks along the way. His resilience in the face of constant adversity, both from external forces and internal doubts, demonstrates that leadership is not about immediate success but about faithful persistence in the face of hardship. Even when Pharaoh refused to listen and even when Israel’s faith wavered, Moses was committed to the mission God had entrusted him with. Through his perseverance, God’s power was ultimately displayed, and the Israelites were freed in a miraculous way.
The apostle Peter provides another profound example of how God uses our failures as part of His redemptive process in leadership. Peter was a man who constantly stumbled. He boldly proclaimed his loyalty to Jesus, swearing that he would never deny Him, yet in the critical hour of Jesus’ arrest, Peter denied Him three times. His failure was not a small one; it was a public denial of the very one he had sworn to follow. Moreover, Peter repeatedly failed to stay awake when Jesus asked him to pray with Him in the garden of Gethsemane, revealing a pattern of human weakness, impulsiveness, and even inconsistency in his walk with Christ. Yet, in spite of these failures, Peter’s story is one of redemption. After denying Jesus, he was restored by Christ on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus asked him three times, “Do you love me?” (John 21:15-17). With each question, Peter was restored, and his leadership was refined. Jesus did not cast him aside for his mistakes; instead, He used Peter’s failures as a pathway to deeper understanding and growth. Peter was transformed through his failures, becoming a bold leader of the early church. Peter’s life teaches us that failure is not final. It is through our failures that God refines us, teaching us humility, perseverance, and dependence on His grace. Peter could have given up after his denials, but he didn’t. He failed forward—learning from his mistakes and allowing them to shape him into a more faithful servant. Failure is a stepping stone to growth, not a sign of defeat. It is in our failures that we often learn the most about God’s faithfulness and our need for His strength.
Another striking example of redemption in leadership is the transformation of Saul of Tarsus into the apostle Paul. Saul was a man who once hunted Christians, breathing out threats and violence against the followers of Jesus. His zeal for the law led him to murder believers, believing he was doing God’s work. Yet, through an encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, Saul was struck blind and confronted by the very Savior he had persecuted. Saul’s life was radically changed, and he became Paul—a fervent preacher of the gospel and one of the most influential apostles in history. Paul’s story is a testimony to the fact that no one is beyond redemption, no matter how far they have fallen. Even though Paul had killed and imprisoned Christians, God redeemed him and used his past failures to glorify His name. Paul went on to plant churches, write letters that are foundational to the Christian faith, and endure tremendous hardship for the sake of the gospel. His life shows us that God can use even our deepest failures for His purposes, turning what was once a source of shame into a testimony of grace and power. The stories of Moses, Peter, and Paul share a common thread: they all failed, but they did not quit. They stumbled, they doubted, and they even denied their calling at times, but they kept moving forward. It is in the midst of our failures that we often find God’s greatest opportunities for growth. To fail is not to be defeated; it is simply to learn and grow. What matters is not the fact that we fail but what we do with our failure. Leaders in the kingdom of God fail forward, using each setback as an opportunity to learn, to lean more deeply on God’s grace, and to continue pressing on in His mission. There will be times when we feel unqualified, when we are faced with adversaries who seem insurmountable, and when our own failures seem to disqualify us from God’s calling. But it is precisely in those moments that God shows up, equipping us for the work He has called us to, just as He did with Moses, Peter, and Paul. Resilience in the face of adversity leads to success. We are never beyond the reach of God’s redemption, and as long as we do not quit, as long as we keep moving forward, God will use us to accomplish His will, imperfect as we are. Just as Peter was restored, just as Paul was redeemed, and just as Moses led a nation out of slavery despite his doubts, we too can lead, grow, and fulfill the purpose God has for us—no matter the failures we face along the way.
Thank You,
𝖂𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝕱𝖔𝖗𝖌𝖊
Pilgrims Ponder 