Moses was at the end of his rope. He’d led 600,000 men (plus women and children) into the desert where they’d been wandering for years. Like Moses, the Israelites had had enough. At the time, they were complaining about how boring their diet was—just manna all the time, no meat!
God responded to the complaints by promising Moses He’d give the Israelites meat for a month. Moses was overwhelmed and in his exasperation expressed his doubts.
Moses, like you and me, had doubts. Sure, he’d seen God speak through a burning bush, bring twelve plagues to free the Israelites, deliver them by parting the Red Sea, and rain down manna from heaven, but he doubted God could feed so many meat for a whole month.
The Lord answered Moses’ doubts by introducing him to the “True for You” principle. Specifically, God said, “Is the Lord’s arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”
First time disciple makers need these words just as much as Moses did. Here’s why…
You’ve seen God use a friend, church leader, or pastor deeply impact someone’s life, but the idea that God will use you to do the same is hard to believe. God uses others, but so far He’s never used you…at least not like that.
Yet, you believe God’s called you to make disciples. And now you’ve come to the precipice of acting on that belief. But, as you ponder that first step you see the possibility of failing miserably, and it’s terrifying.
It’s hard to really believe, isn’t it? Not so much that God uses people to do this, but it’s hard to believe He’d use you. After all, He knows you…and you know you! God knows each doubt you carry, the waywardness of your heart, and every insecurity you try so hard to hide.
This collision of truth between Biblical reality and the reality of our inner life leads to paralysis. That inaction robs countless Christ-followers of decades of fruitful laboring in the Kingdom. And when someone like me engages them with the vision multiplying their life for God’s glory, they won’t believe.
Over the past twenty years, I’ve walked alongside dozens of people through this truth collision. Their response determines whether they become a disciple maker or a church sitter; a reproducer or a religious consumer.
So, how do I help people survive the crash of these two realities? I introduce them to the “True for You” principle.
In essence the principle states, as you act, God will lovingly make up the difference between your beliefs and your doubts. Then you’ll see and know that God’s word is true for you.
It’s the message God communicated to Moses and it shows up clearly in the New Testament in John 14:21, “Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He loves me will be loved by my Father and I too will love him and show myself to Him.” and 1 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness…”
The answer to fear is faith, not fitness. A mistake many wanna-be disciplers make is they won’t start until they feel fit. What The Navigators founder Dawson Trotman said sixty years ago is still true, “The greatest time wasted is the time getting started.”
Effective disciplemaking is a journey of faith. Fitness is determined by faithfulness and a willingness to move with God into uncertain situations. It’s thrilling! As you labor in the field of another’s life, you have a front row seat to watch God provide the growth. Partnering with God expands our faith and deepens our experience with Him.
So, don’t let doubts, fears, or insecurities paralyze you! Whether you’re thinking of discipling someone or trying to help someone else get started, remember the principle of “True for You.”
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Find this helpful? Want to grow as a disciple or disciple maker? Check out my books: The Bicycle Illustration and The Foundation of a Disciple Making Culture. Too much to read? Check out my Podcast, “The Practitioners’ Podcast” for short, hyper focused disciple making episodes wherever you get podcasts!