For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:13
In 1858, a Sunday school teacher named Edward Kimball felt burdened to speak to one of the young men in his class about salvation. The young man worked in a shoe store, and Kimball hesitated for days. He later admitted he felt nervous and unsure of what to say. But finally, trusting the Lord, he walked into the store and shared the gospel.
That young man was Dwight L. Moody, who later became one of the most widely-used evangelists of the nineteenth century. Kimball did not feel especially bold or capable that day. In fact, he nearly talked himself out of going. But God was already working—both in the teacher who spoke and in the young man who listened.
When God calls us to do something, He also supplies the desire and the strength to accomplish it. Philippians 2:13 tells us that God works in us “both to will and to do.” He gives the will—the inward prompting, the desire, the burden. And He works in us to do—the strength, grace, and ability to carry it out.
Many believers hesitate when they sense God leading them. We think, “I’m not ready.” “I don’t know enough.” “Someone else could do this better.” But God never waits for us to become sufficient on our own. Our sufficiency comes from Him.
Perhaps God is prompting you to speak to someone about Christ, serve in a new way, encourage a struggling believer, or step forward in obedience where you have hesitated before. The same God who places that burden on your heart also promises to work through you. God never calls us to accomplish His work in our own ability. He works within us so that His purposes can be fulfilled through us.
