Cover image via Gospel Media Library.
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Officer Lockhart was frustrated. As an experienced law enforcement officer, he was accustomed to a fair amount of action on the job. However, an unfortunate sports injury had sidelined him with several broken bones in his foot, and he wore a heavy plaster walking cast from his toes to his knee. He was temporarily relegated to a desk job.
One day, while working at the police station, a call came in requesting that help be sent for a serious domestic dispute which was in progress. Though Officer Lockhart was aware he wasn’t the ideal candidate to handle the situation, he also knew he could make it to the scene at least ten minutes sooner than the nearest field officer, so he hobbled out of the station to his vehicle.
It was evident upon arrival that the dispute was still in full swing, since the policeman could hear yelling and cursing through the windows. Just as he began limping up the sidewalk, the front door of the house flew open, and out charged an angry, red-faced man who continued to shout until the sight of the police officer stopped him in his tracks. He paused briefly, taking in Officer Lockhart’s heavy cast. All the bluster went out of the man as he began to shake with laughter, asking, “Were you the best they had to send?”
My friend, now Brother Lockhart, shared this story with me months ago, and it has been lurking in the back of my mind ever since. Why? Because I sometimes feel inadequate in my current church calling–like an imposter as I try to fulfill my responsibilities, wondering if some ward members might be wondering, “Were you the best they had to fill this calling? Surely there are other people who are better qualified.” Have you ever experienced those feelings of inadequacy?
When We Feel Inadequate in Our Callings
When I was called to teach the gospel doctrine class in my thirties, I literally trembled in my boots each time I stood before a large group of adults, attempting to present a coherent lesson about the scriptures. Though I loved God’s word, I was certainly no scriptorian. I wondered each week why I received that calling when we had Brother Meyers, an outstanding, experienced CES instructor living in the ward. He practically had the standard works memorized. But looking back, though the class members had to endure the growing pains of an inexperienced teacher, I see how my efforts to prepare for those lessons expanded my testimony of the scriptures significantly. (And who knows? Maybe I was called in order for the class to learn patience.)
Elder Henry B. Eyring once spoke to those who accept callings, “There will be times when you will feel overwhelmed. One of the ways you will be attacked is with the feeling that you are inadequate. Well, you are inadequate to answer a call to represent God with only your own powers. But you have access to more than your natural capacities, and you do not work alone. (1)
In an address at LDS Business College, Elder Kevin R. Duncan encouraged students to “ignore the demons of inadequacy” and “listen instead to the angels of hope and to the source of all hope, that being Jesus Christ…” He continued, “The scriptures are… full of true accounts of people who felt underqualified, but when things seemed most difficult, they trusted God.” (2)
My friend Heidi exemplified this trust when she received a calling under unusual circumstances. Though she felt overwhelmed, her faith in the Lord made her equal to the task. She writes, “My family moved into a new ward in the middle of the COVID pandemic at the end of July and I was called as the Relief Society president just three months later. I hadn’t even finished unpacking! Since we were only able to attend church every other week, while social distancing and wearing masks, I had only met a handful of people. Truly a handful. So, when the call was extended I was completely overwhelmed, wondering how I could possibly lead this group of women that I did not know and had never even met! It was a daunting task, to say the least.
“But I never hesitated to accept the call because the Lord had prepared me in the few months prior. I knew a call was coming. I wasn’t sure exactly what it was but felt that it could possibly be Relief Society president, but that I would do whatever I was asked to do. I had been raised in a family where my parents served in all callings, big and small, and I was taught that we always accept any calling from the Lord.
“It was helpful that when my Bishop extended the call to me, he emphasized how clear it was for him that I was to be the next Relief Society president–that he knew it was a direct call from the Lord. That made it easier to say yes. How could I possibly say “no” to the Lord, when He has given me everything? I also knew that even though I have a difficult time being pushed out of my comfort zone, and this would push me far out of that zone, I would grow and learn and stretch in ways I needed to. And I did. I will always be grateful that I had the courage to accept the opportunity to serve in this capacity in His kingdom and become more like my Savior.”
When We Think Others Are Inadequate in Their Callings
The flipside of feeling inadequate ourselves is becoming critical of others who are struggling to fulfill their own callings and assignments. This attitude blesses no one. It is spiritually harmful to harbor negative feelings toward others. Few things restrain the Holy Spirit faster than criticism, even when it isn’t spoken aloud. Instead of being critical of the nervous Sunday school teacher or the flustered Sacrament meeting speaker, what if we prayed for them? What if we humbly asked the Spirit to teach us through their words?
As we serve in the church we often find our weaknesses revealed, and we benefit greatly from the support of other members. For example: I failed spectacularly as a 24-year-old Young Women’s camp director, discovering the difference between enjoying camp as an attendee and actually having the leadership skills to pull off a major week-long event for a group of teenage girls. I also learned a valuable lesson from the marvelous Young Women’s president who recognized that I was floundering, and offered generous assistance without criticizing me or taking over my job.
We Need Every Member in Spite of Our Weaknesses
I am fascinated by Paul’s description of the need for every church member:
“For the body is not one member, but many… If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? … But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you…” (1 Cor. 12:14,17-18,20-21)
Whether we feel more like the hand or the head or even the big toe, we are all necessary to the body of Christ. “For all have not every gift given unto them, for there are many gifts…” (D&C 46:11) My introverted personality sometimes felt like a liability when I served as a Young Women’s advisor years ago. Though I truly enjoyed having gospel discussions with the older girls on Sundays, I spent a ridiculous amount of time each week trying to think of valid excuses to avoid going to the activities on Tuesday nights. Heaven forbid I should actually have to participate in a game–in public! Thankfully, there were other advisors and presidency members with more extroverted personalities who loved engaging with the girls in those activities.
Whether we’re an extrovert or introvert, a recent convert or long-time member of the church; whether we have a solid testimony or fledgling faith, mental or physical health challenges, or learning disabilities, we are needed in the church. In spite of—or perhaps because of—our many differences, we are all precious and important members of the Church of Jesus Christ. Though we may struggle with feelings of inadequacy, we all have something to contribute to His work. As we turn to the Lord humbly in our weakness, He will make weak things strong. (Ether 12:27)
You Did Not Put Yourself There
Elder Paul Whippy felt completely inadequate when he received a call to be an Area Seventy. But he was blessed as he attended leadership training in connection with the April 2021 general conference. He later said it was in that meeting, “… I finally received the spiritual witness I had been seeking since my call. I will never forget that moment.”
He continued, “Elder Neil L. Andersen explained how he felt when he was called to The Quorum of The Twelve Apostles. He said when he first sat in the seat that Elder Ulisses Soares now occupies, he looked up the row at the other eleven apostles and the First Presidency, and feelings of personal inadequacy overwhelmed him…
“Elder Andersen said he struggled with this issue for a while and then it came: He heard the voice of the Lord say, “Neil, you did not put yourself there. I did, because I love you, and I know you can change, and I know you can help with my work.” When Elder Andersen shared that sacred experience, it became sacred to me also. It was the confirmation that I needed.”
Elder Whippy concluded, “I know that Heavenly Father and His Son did not call me because of anything I had done to qualify for this role, but it was because They love me. They know I can change, and They know I can help Them in Their glorious work…” (2)
May we persevere in the work of the Lord despite our inadequacies, relying on the strength of “… Him who has never been clumsy or inadequate but who loves all of us who are.” (3)
Notes:
- Elder Henry B. Eyring, “Rise to Your Call,” Oct. 2002 general conference, emphasis added.
- Elder Kevin R. Duncan, “Ignore Demons of Inadequacy by Relying on Christ,”
- Elder Paul Whippy, “Receiving Confirmation of My Call to Serve,” Liahona, Sept. 2023, emphasis added.
- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Be Ye Therefore Perfect—Eventually,” 2017 general conference.
Susan StoddardOctober 23, 2024
Thank you. The Lord does answer prayers. I have been having guilty feelings for a few days about how inadequate I feel in my calling as a Relief Society counselor. I have a hard time getting outside myself and extending myself to others. I was just praying this morning expressing my guilty feelings to the Lord and asking for His help. Then I opened your article in Meridian Magazine. What an answer to my prayer. Thank you again.
Corey D.October 23, 2024
Another great, insightful article. Not quite two years ago we got called to be primary teachers, our ward is getting older and the primary is getting smaller so we had 3 age groups, 5, 6 and 7 yr olds, my wife has been in primary before but I hadn't been in Primary for like 40 yrs and that was a short stint in the nursery, I was totally out of place and then in January of this year they switch us to the sunbeams which in my mind was even worse and to complicate matters the kids were totally fixated on their old teacher, took almost 1/2 yr to get them use to us. This may seem funny or hard to believe for some but this has been one of the most challenging, difficult callings I have ever hard. I will readily admit my wife has somewhat different feelings about it but it's been challenging for me.