My husband Kenya has raved about his favorite professor for years, Dr. Polite, who passed away several years ago. The other day, he ran across an article about her and discovered something he had never known: she did not earn a college degree. She had gone to college, but just never finished.

Turns out, Dr. Polite’s writing was so incredible, the honor of being a professor at a local university was bestowed upon her. She never claimed to have earned a doctorate degree—the highest level academic degree—but she never corrected the students that called her “Dr. Polite.”  

When Kenya learned of her true educational background very recently, he was even more impressed and fascinated. Though she had not gone the traditional education route, she was no less intelligent, capable, or effective in her role.

It is not your level of education or socio-economic status that matters. Who you are is not determined by external labels, successes and accolades. Dr. Polite was able to help Kenya and many other students earn a degree, and do something she never personally did. She pushed them to go further than she went, and that’s commendable.

I shared her story to encourage you today. Don’t worry about what you don’t have, or what your limitations are. You will get to the place you’re supposed to be. This is especially true of those who are submitted to the will of God.

Too often, people get down and discouraged about what they lack. They erect mental barriers and convince themselves there’s no way they can achieve certain things. But remember, it is the power of God, and not human ability or achievement that opens doors.

David knew that.

In 1 Samuel 17:39, he rejected King Saul’s offer to be saddled with all that extra heavy armor in his battle to secure victory over the Philistine giant, Goliath. This young, zealous, worshiping warrior understood something powerful and fundamental: His true power was in His connection to God.

When David faced Goliath, he told the giant that he called an “uncircumcised Philistine” in 1 Samuel 17:45, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts…’”

David called Goliath an uncircumcised Philistine because, in the Old Testament, circumcision, which God implemented through Abraham in Genesis 17, was a physical sign of a spiritual covenant.

David knew he was in covenant with God—one of the Lord’s chosen—but Goliath was not. David knew he was in a position of favor with the Almighty, while his opponent was an outsider and enemy of God.

In distressing times, when you are confronted with seemingly insurmountable challenges, and the odds are stacked against you, remind yourself that you are in a position of favor with God. He’ll work in your favor despite what you lack. Wherever you may be deficient, the all-sufficient One has you covered.

Don’t waste so much time and energy trying to amass extra stuff to make you feel more powerful. You don’t need all those extras. That’s not to say “armor,” education, finances, influence, and positions are bad. Not at all. They have their place. However, they must never, in your mind, replace the power of God.

The point is, whether you have these things or not, they are not your source.  Whether you have human credentials or not, if God wants you to have something, He will divinely qualify you to get it. Don’t fret. Don’t worry. Don’t stress. What you have is all you need to fulfill your destiny.

Whatever your struggle is, God is greater than that. His power, not your prowess, is the difference-maker.

To help you focus on your real source, I’m stirring Ephesians 6:10 NIV into your cup of inspiration, which says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”

As you drink down the contents of your cup, be reassured that you’ve got all it takes to make it and be victorious. You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength according to Philippians 4:13.

He is your strength whatever your education, income level, social status, mental capacity, physical condition, or level of influence. Whatever your station in life, God is able to lift you up, elevate you, enlarge you, and use you for His glory.

As long as you have the power of God working in you, through you, and for you, all you have, is all you need. You have more than enough already!

Now let’s pray.

God, thank You for reminding me that my sufficiency is in You alone. Whenever worry and anxiety over what I don’t have tries to overtake me, please remind of Your word that tells me in Philippians 4:19, that You will supply all my needs according to Your riches in glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!

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