Discounted Ability

Think of a recent situation when you wanted to speak up but didn’t. Why didn’t you say what you wanted? What kept you silent? As you maintained your outer silence, what was your inner self-talk?

As a teen, I had the opportunity to try out for a community play. I truly wanted to be part of the cast. However, on the night of tryouts, I remained stuck in my seat, silent. Why? As I observed and listened to the other students, I told myself I wasn’t good enough. The other students belonged to drama clubs, and I didn’t. Not wanting to embarrass myself, I didn’t take my place onstage when called. Instead, I remained seated and silently watched others audition and get cast.

Have you ever discounted your ability?

Reflection.

During the community play tryouts, I had the wrong focus. Instead of considering what I had (creativity, my speaking voice, and memorization skills), I focused on what I didn’t have – drama club membership. I magnified drama club membership and minimized my skills. This comparison quickly filled my mind with doubts and killed the dream in my heart. Since I couldn’t see myself performing well on the stage, I didn’t. I sat in my seat, outwardly silent and stoic.

Several years earlier, ten leaders made a similar determination of inability during their surveillance of Canaan, giving rise to a “grasshopper” mentality (Numbers 13:31–33). No worries if you’re unclear about what I mean by the “grasshopper” mentality; I’ll explain it in Day 2.