By B.J. Johnson

There are minutes in my day when I have convinced myself that I am not worthy of the responsibility God has called me to take hold of. There are seconds where I have told myself that I am not good enough—that there are more qualified people. There are briefly passing thoughts where I think, “There are people who have a better testimony, better house, and a better job. There’s no way I can do this!” The list goes on, and on, and on. If you have ever thought any or all of these thoughts, know that you are not alone.

Being a LifeGroup leader is a big responsibility. But before you say you can’t, understand this: success comes in cans; failure comes in can’ts. Romans 8:37 tells us that we are more than conquerors through Christ. When you first stepped up to the plate and said you were going to lead a LifeGroup, you were absolutely on fire—ready to take the world by storm.

Even when you don’t feel adequate, you are—and always will be—a conqueror.

Since then, maybe you have gotten into a slump, or maybe thoughts of inadequacy keep plaguing you, keeping you from progress. Maybe LifeGroup feels like a weekly chore, the discussions are shallow, and the storm you were ready to take hold of feels more like a light drizzle. But even when you don’t feel adequate, you are still, and always will be, a conqueror.

We’ve heard the golden rule in Matthew 19:19—love your neighbor as yourself. When we try to love someone, but we don’t have that kind of love for ourselves (telling ourselves we are inadequate), we are trying to fill people with an empty cup. Eliminating that feeling of inadequacy starts with changing our mindset.

Philippians 4:8 NIV says it this way:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

I love that it says to think about whatever is true because the truth is, you are more than a conqueror! How we talk to ourselves is important. In counseling circles, this is called self-talk. How does it work? Replace the thought, “I’m worthless,” with, “I’m worth it.” Replace the thought, “I’m a failure,” with, “I’m a work in progress.” Remember, God doesn’t call the qualified—He qualifies the called.

We love saying that God qualifies the called but that also requires us to leave our comfort to step into our calling. I have fallen into this same trap. When I’m comfortable, I like to keep things the way they are. The comfort trap is deadly for growth, because if I keep doing what I do, I’m going to keep getting what I get, which is stuck. When you get stuck, asking God for wisdom is a great way to get out of the rut (James 1:5). God has wisdom about your situation He is willing to freely offer. We just have to ask.

Not only can we ask God for wisdom but also other LifeGroup leaders are a great source of understanding. Gain insight from these men and women about what worked for them, what didn’t work, and what they did when they were in a slump. Their life experiences are a wellspring of knowledge that often goes untapped because we don’t ask.

Not only can you talk to people in person about their leadership experiences, but there is an infinite supply of leadership podcasts, books, and articles you can draw from, many of which are free. I realized a few months ago that I have one hour each day of uninterrupted drive time to and from work. I decided to make my drivetime work for me by listening to podcasts.

Instead of going through my playlists that I’ve listened to a hundred times, I took the time to be proactive, and made it what Zig Ziglar calls, “Automobile University.” Use your drive time to listen to audiobooks, podcasts, and motivational speakers, developing yourself as a leader. Read in your spare time. We are even encouraged in Proverbs to get wisdom and understanding at any cost. (Proverbs 4:7). How can we make those we lead better if we are not willing to make ourselves better?

Just because you go through it doesn’t mean you can’t grow through it.

You are going to have moments when you feel like giving up. It’s going to be harder on some days than others. But just because you go through it, doesn’t mean you can’t grow through it. Remember where your confidence comes from, rely on your never-ending sources of wisdom, and stay the course, because you were born ready for this!