Good Enough for GodSample

MARY

What would you do if a stranger walked up to you and, without even saying hi, told you that you’d soon be a parent because God said so?

Well, if you’re Mary, you ask a couple questions, then roll with it. She didn’t say, “But I’m just a normal person. Why would God use me?” She didn’t bring up her age, background, qualifications, or past mistakes. She just said yes.

Mary knew this wasn’t a test or interview; God had already chosen her for the role of Proudest Mom Ever before she was even born. She also knew not to let her insecurities and questions get in the way of God’s will. If He says you’re good enough for His plans, then guess what? He’s right.

The Bible doesn’t tell us much about Mary’s background. We know she was from Nazareth, and that she had an older cousin named Elizabeth whose husband was a priest. Beyond that, we can only guess what her life was like before the angel visited. By all accounts, she was just a normal, small-town girl.

God could have chosen anyone from anywhere to be Jesus’ mom. The Savior of the world could have been raised in a castle, a mansion, or even a gated community. But God chose Mary from Nazareth.

If we were in Mary’s situation today, we’d probably come up with at least a dozen reasons why raising Jesus Christ should definitely be someone else’s job: I’m not old enough. I don’t really like kids. I can’t even keep a cactus alive. What about school? What will other people think? Why not pick that girl who has two million followers?

Often, these questions turn into excuses that keep us from stepping into God’s plan: I don’t have enough experience. I’ll mess it up. I’m scared of the responsibility. This will completely change my life.

There’s nothing wrong with having questions and doubts when facing big decisions, new opportunities, or stressful situations. But we should never count ourselves out because of who we are or what we’ve done in the past. God knows us and our hearts, and He still has good plans for us.

Write down a goal or dream you have. Then, instead of writing all the reasons why you can’t achieve it, try writing down several reasons why you can. Put the list somewhere you’ll see it often, and add to it over time.