Today's Encouragement

Inferiority Complex

Jennifer Carnes

“The LORD said to him, ‘Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’” Exodus 4:11-12 (NIV)

“Why does the screen show three heartbeats?” I asked the ultrasound technician. She quickly jumped up and said, “I have to get the doctor.”


My husband and I just stared in shock at the glowing screen.

Our doctor briskly entered the room, breathless and looking perplexed. “I really don’t know how this happened!” He exclaimed.

I can assure you, in that moment, I knew exactly what had happened.

Let me back up to the beginning. Ten months earlier, I gave birth to our daughter, Faye. She was conceived through IVF (in-vitro fertilization). When we had embryos implanted to get pregnant with our daughter, the doctor was upfront with us about using the “best” embryos.

Nine months later, we did IVF again with four embryos. Our doctor reminded us that the remaining embryos were “inferior.” His knowledge and experience told him IVF would not work. He warned us that in all likelihood, we would have to start the entire process over. “Inferior” embryos did not produce babies.

As I lay on that table, looking at the glowing screen, those three fluttering heartbeats told me what a doctor had labeled “inferior” was exactly the kind of thing God uses to accomplish His will.

Have you ever believed you are inferior?

I sure have — especially when I struggled with infertility. Have you felt inferior because you were single, divorced, had no children, lacked experience, education or talent? These things can make us believe we are inferior and disqualified from being used by God.

I’m reminded of Moses and his inferiority complex. In Exodus 4:1-17, the Lord called Moses to go back to Egypt and free the Hebrews. Moses gives reasons why he isn’t the man for the job. In his mind, he was inferior. He was raised in a palace … what could he offer the Hebrew slaves? He fled Egypt after committing murder. He stuttered, which he believed disqualified him from public speaking. This is God’s response to Moses in verses 11-12:

“The LORD said to him, ‘Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’”

The Lord knew all about Moses’ perceived deficits but still called him anyway! God used Moses to set two million Hebrews free from captivity.

Those embryos grew in spite of their “inferior” label. The Lord breathed life into them. He created them, flaws and all. They are now thriving, capable, strong teenagers with divine purpose in each of their lives.

Our Savior uses all the parts of us, not just the parts that we have all together. Why? He made all the parts, even the “inferior” ones! What you view as the inferior, disqualifying part of you is the very thing the Lord can use to do the miraculous.