What if God isn’t waiting for you to be more talented, confident, qualified, or put together—He wants to use you, just as you are?
I’m going to fail. Someone else could do it better. I don’t have anything special to offer. I’m not enough.
At Collide, we call these our “not me’s”—the lies that convince us we don’t have what it takes for God to use us. But what if instead of focusing on everything we think we’re missing, we started believing God can use what we already have?
In this special team conversation, Willow Weston sits down with Collide team members Kelli Hawkinson, Tammy Lindhout, and Nina Hall to talk honestly about the fears, insecurities, and false beliefs that have held them back—and what they’ve learned about saying yes to God anyway. It’s a conversation at the heart of Collide’s Yes, You Bible study: believing that God can use our talents, stories, experiences, pain, and even our weaknesses to do amazing things in this world.
Throughout the conversation, each woman shares how she has learned that God wasn’t waiting for her to become more impressive or qualified. The invitation isn’t to become her. It’s to bring God what you have and trust Him with what He can do through it.
Key Takeaways
- When you think someone else could do it better: Stop waiting to become someone else. God created you intentionally, and your insecurity doesn’t erase your purpose.
- When you’re afraid you’ll fail: Borrow someone else’s belief in you. Sometimes we need people who can see potential in us before we’re able to see it ourselves.
- When the lies start creeping back in: Pay attention to your reactions. Defensiveness, anxiety, insecurity, or comparison may reveal an old lie you’ve started believing again.
- When your gifts don’t seem impressive: Don’t underestimate willingness. God can build something significant through small acts of obedience, one step at a time.
- When you think your brokenness disqualifies you: God can use it. When we’re honest about our weaknesses, our stories can give other people permission to be honest about theirs too.
- When you see potential in someone else: Tell her. Your invitation or encouragement may be exactly what she needs to step into something God has for her.
How This Episode Will Encourage You
You don’t have to be the most talented person in the room. You don’t have to get rid of every insecurity. You don’t have to wait until your story is perfectly healed.
God has a history of using unlikely, imperfect, weak, and broken people.
Willow describes Collide as a kind of “ragtag” group of women who are insecure, fearful, messy, afraid of failure, and in need of second, third, and fourth chances—and yet God continues to use their willingness to create a ripple effect in the lives of other women.
Instead of focusing on everything you think you’re missing, ask:
What has God already placed in my hands?
Your gifts. Your personality. Your experiences. Your story. Your compassion. Your weakness. Your willingness.
You don’t have to become someone else before God can work through your life. Bring Him what you have, take the next step, and trust Him with what He can do through your yes.
God wants to use you. Yes, you.
