It is terrible to feel powerless or hopeless. Few things are as frustrating as being in a situation where you feel like you don’t have any control or any options. It is hard for people when life seems to happen to us. We are created with the desire to participate and to have an effect. When we are passive observers we feel tense and anxious. But there is often a difference between feeling powerless and being powerless. Sometimes that hopeless feeling comes from failing to take a comprehensive inventory of your resources or from being too fearful to use them.
I think of our brave Navy SEALS who just completed a successful rescue operation in Somalia. This same SEAL unit found and killed Osama Bin Laden. The SEALs never know what they are going to be asked to do next, but they are confident they can accomplish the mission, no matter how difficult it may be. Why are they so confident? They are confident because they know exactly what they are capable of. This self-understanding comes through experience and training. 
The Navy SEALS also know exactly what resources they have at their disposal: equipment, technology, information, and manpower. They know themselves, they know their equipment, and they know their teammates. This makes them adaptable, confident, and fearless.
God told Moses to do a very difficult thing (Exodus 3-4). He told Moses to confront Pharaoh and ultimately lead Israel out of Egyptian slavery. Moses was afraid Pharaoh wouldn’t listen to him. He was afraid the Israelites wouldn’t listen to him. He was also afraid Israel wouldn’t believe God had called him to lead them. Moses wasn’t afraid God’s power wasn’t sufficient; he was afraid he wasn’t sufficient. That’s when God asked Moses an interesting question. God asked, “What is that in your hand?”
It turns out Moses was holding a staff. In the excitement, he had probably forgotten about the stick he was leaning on. God used that staff to demonstrate His power and to make sure Moses’ fears weren’t realized. God also used Moses’ brother, Aaron, and a few other people to support him at key times in his ministry. In fact, God had used the first eighty years of Moses’ life to train him and to position him to be effective. God gave Moses all the experience, relationships, and equipment he needed to succeed. God is doing the same thing for you.
If you are feeling helpless or overwhelmed, take a personal inventory. When faced with a challenge, the worst thing to do is to do nothing. Don’t be afraid to lean on other people. Don’t be afraid to put your considerable abilities into play. Don’t forget to pray. God wouldn’t have allowed you to get here if he hadn’t also equipped you to endure and succeed. Feeling helpless or overwhelmed? Hey, what’s that in your hand?
Compelling Word 