How do I lead with confidence when I feel insecure or unqualified? This is Lead in 10. I'm Chris Moore, and if you've ever looked at your role and thought, I'm not enough for this, then you're in the right place. Maybe you are promoted too fast. Maybe you're leading a team that knows more than you. Maybe you're running a business, raising a family, or stepping into a new assignment, and deep down you are battling that voice that says you're not smart enough. You're not experienced enough, you are not qualified. Well, let me tell you something powerful right up front. You're not alone and you're not the first to feel that way. I felt that way. Let's go back to Exodus chapter four. God calls Moses to lead his people out of Egypt, but Moses. He responds with fear, not faith. And Moses said unto the Lord, oh my Lord, I'm not eloquent, but I'm slow of speech and of a slow tongue. And the Lord sayeth unto them who is made man's mouth or who make it the dumb or deaf or the seeing or the blind have not I the Lord. Now therefore, go and I will be with thy mouth and teach thee what thou shall say. Exodus four verses 10 through 12. God doesn't argue with Moses about his ability. He reminds him of his God's presence. He says, I will be with you, and that's where confidence begins. In Second Corinthians chapter three verses five and six, Paul echoes this same truth. Now that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God, who also had made us able, ministers of the New Testament, you may not feel qualified. Paul, in this statement is saying. We are not sufficient in of ourselves. He's not sufficient in of himself. As smart as well-spoken, as influential as Paul has been. He felt like he wasn't qualified. You may not feel qualified, but if God has called you, he will equip you. So how do we lead with confidence? When we feel insecure? They give you four steps that will help you move forward with boldness, even when your emotions tell you to shrink back. Step one, acknowledge the feeling, but don't let it take the lead. Insecurity is real. It's a real emotion, but insecurity makes a terrible leader. Moses felt inadequate, but God did not remove the assignment from Moses. You can feel unsure and still be faithful. So don't deny the feeling. Just don't let it drive the car. Instead, bring it to God. Lord, I feel small right now, but I believe you are big. Show me how to lead in your strength and not mine. Shift your focus out of yourself from yourself to your source. You know, when we focus on flaws, we feel fear, but when you focus on God's faithfulness. You begin to find courage. You are not showing up to lead in your name. You are showing up in his. You don't need to have all the answers and you won't, but you need to stay close to the one who does have the answers. Who will lead you in those right steps? When you remember that God is your source and you continue to look for him, you stop trying to be impressive and just start trying to be obedient to him. Step number three, lead from identity, not insecurity. The world tells us to build confidence by puffing ourselves up, but in the kingdom, confidence flows from your identity. In Christ, you are a child of God. You are chosen, you're called, you are empowered by the spirit. You don't have to fake it, and you don't have to prove yourself. You just need to remember who you are. You are God's emissary. The most powerful leaders I know aren't the loudest ones in the room. Certainly in my time in different boardrooms from people with different countries have seen the person that has sat silently, not even at the head of the table, but sometimes down towards the foot on the side, off to the edge. Who are the most powerful leaders in that room? Who the loud voices, the ones with titles look to for instruction. Look to for guidance, look to, to help in their decisions. They're the ones who lead from a quiet place of assurance 'cause they know who called them. Step four, take the next step, even if it feels small. You know, Moses didn't lead a nation on day one. He took a staff and he stood before Pharaoh. Then he led people across dry ground. He stood before God on a mountain. Each act of obedience built his confidence, not because he believed more himself, but because he saw what God could do through him. Think about this. He argues with God and says, I cannot do this. I cannot speak. And yet we don't see anywhere in the story where Aaron goes in and says. Aaron goes in and does this. No, Moses steps forward. He follows God in divine obedience. So what is your next step? Maybe you have to schedule that tough meeting. Maybe it's applying for a position that scares you because you think it is outside of your ability. Maybe it's raising your hand to lead, even if it's just a project. Even if your voice shakes will you step up. Whatever it is, take it. Take control of it. Do it even when you're afraid. If you have to do it when you're scared, confidence grows through our obedience. Lemme give you two traps to avoid when dealing with that insecurity. Number one, waiting until you feel confident to lead. You probably aren't going to, especially if you are a good leader, if you wait until the fear goes away, you're gonna miss your moment, the time that God has called you to step in to that role. Faith is not the absence of fear. It's moving forward anyway. God does some of his best work through leaders who say, I don't feel ready, but I trust you more than I trust my feelings. Trap number two, trying to lead like someone else. You are you. You are the only you there's ever been and ever will be. And comparison will always kill your confidence. You were not called to be somebody else. You were called to lead in the voice, the way you were wired and your gift that God gave you and you specifically. No one else is like, you don't try and be like somebody else. So stop measuring your leadership against someone else's highlight reel. Lead like you lead in your anointing, in your imperfection, in your growing as you go. Lead is you because that's enough. So here's a question for you today. Where in my leadership am I allowing insecurity to silence obedience? Here's your action step. Write out a prayer of surrender. Do this. God, I don't feel qualified to blank, but you called me. I choose to trust your voice more than my own doubt. Then take one step today that pushes you through that fear. Tell someone what God is calling you to do. Share that with someone. Share that with a friend. Share that with a mentor. Share it with your pastor, share it with your spouse. Confidence doesn't come from having all the answers, but it does come from knowing the one who called you and getting connected into what he has for you. This is Lead in 10. I'm Chris Moore. Thanks for being with me today. If this episode reminded you of who you are and who you are. Take a second to think about that, share it with another leader, and if you would please like and subscribe to, to this podcast. It really helps, it gives me encouragement, but mostly I hope you find encouragement also. I'll see you next time.