Lessons from a Burning Bush — But Who Am I: When You Feel Unqualified

This is Part 2 of Lessons from a Burning Bush, a 3-part devotional series walking through Exodus 3 and 4. In Part 1, we stood barefoot on holy ground as God introduced Himself not with a title, but with presence: “I AM THAT I AM.” We learned that God is unchanging, self-sufficient, and more than enough—even when we have questions.

Now, we step into the next conversation between Moses and God, where insecurity takes center stage. Moses questions his qualifications, his voice, even his worthiness. Today’s post is for anyone who has ever asked, “Who am I to do this?”— and for those who need reminding that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

And God said, “I will be with you.” . . .

Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?”

Then the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

“A staff,” he replied.

The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.”

Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it. Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. “This,” said the LORD, “is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

Then the LORD said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.

“Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.

Then the LORD said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.”

Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon Your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

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 tach you what to say.”

Exodus 3:11-12, 4:1-12

When God calls you, do you instinctively rehearse your flaws? Moses did, too. God called him to deliver a nation, and Moses responded with a list of reasons why he wasn’t the right man for the job. God responded with one sentence: “I will be with you.” Your “Who am I?” doesn’t scare God. He’s heard it before. What if your weakness is the very stage where God plans to show His strength?

EXCUSE #1: Who am I?

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” – Exodus 3:11

This question wasn’t just about logistics. It was a window into Moses’s heart—a heart still bruised from his past mistakes. Years earlier, he had taken justice into his own hands and killed an Egyptian. But rather than being celebrated as a hero, he was met with rejection by his own people. That rejection sent him running into the wilderness, where he spent the next 40 years feeling small and insignificant. By the time God called on Moses, he was long past being the young prince of Egypt. He was a man who felt disqualified, forgotten, and unfit.

God didn’t boost his confidence with a pep talk. He didn’t say, “Oh, don’t be so hard on yourself, Moses! You’ve got this!” Instead, He offered His presence: “I will be with you.” The mission would succeed not because Moses was impressive enough to do the job, but because God was present throughout it. When we feel disqualified by our past, we often echo the same question Moses had. We look at our weaknesses and assume they exempt us from being used by God. But our calling doesn’t rest on who we are, but on who God is. God doesn’t call the qualified—He qualifies the called.

EXCUSE #2: They won’t believe me!

Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you’?” – Exodus 4:1

Moses’s second excuse shifts from self-doubt to the fear of others’ rejection. I don’t know about you, but…BEEN THERE, DONE THAT. “What if no one takes me seriously?” He was afraid of being dismissed, doubted—or to really put it bluntly—to look stupid!

God meets Moses with reassurance, giving him the promise of three supernatural signs: a shepherd’s staff that turns into a snake, then back again; a healthy hand turns leprous, then is healed; and water from the Nile turned into blood. Each sign was personal, visible, and powerful. These weren’t just magic tricks; they were tangible confirmations that He was truly with him. God was telling Moses, “You don’t have to convince them. Let Me do that.” God doesn’t just call you—He backs you up!

EXCUSE #3: I don’t speak well.

Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon Your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” – Exodus 4:10

This may be Moses’s most compelling excuse (and honestly, I wonder why he didn’t start with it). Many scholars believe that he may have had a stutter or other speech impediment. Think about that for a second: God chose someone He knew had a physical limitation to be His spokesperson to Pharaoh. He didn’t even deny it! Instead, God simply reminds Moses that He is the Creator of mouths (Exodus 4:11). What a powerful truth: the Creator knows the design and purpose of what He’s made.

During fall and winter, I set up booths at craft fairs selling hand-knit hats. A woman once came up to me, looked at one of my hats, and asked, “Is this crochet?” I smiled and said, “Nope, it’s knit!” She frowned and replied, “Uhm, are you sure? It looks crocheted. I’m pretty sure that’s crochet.” I laughed and gently said, “Well, I made it—I know for sure that it’s knit.”

It’s a funny moment, but it reminds me how often we try to tell God how we’re made—what we’re good at, what we can’t do, what we think disqualifies us. But He made us! He knows exactly how we’re knit together! And when He calls us, He calls us knowing every detail of our design. We don’t get to argue with the One who formed us. The Creator knows His creation best.

There’s something else I found really interesting while doing my study prep for this blog post (I even reached out to my pastor to see if I was imagining things!). In Exodus 3:14, God names Himself YHWH—“I AM THAT I AM.” As I wrote about in Part 1, it’s a name that carries presence and promise. In scripture, it’s seen as LORD (all-caps). But whenever Moses responds to God, he addresses Him as Adonai (often written as Lord)—a more formal, distant title meaning “Lord” or “Master.” This might seem small, but I see it as a reflection of the internal state of Moses’s heart. A much deeper insecurity. Instead of anchoring his response in the personal name God just revealed, Moses defaults to a title that implies distance. It’s as if he acknowledges God’s authority without fully trusting His intimacy or sufficiency. How often do we do the same thing? We call God, “Lord,” but forget He is also “I AM”—fully present, fully enough. Like Moses, we honor God’s position while forgetting His promises. I’ve said it before—there is a big difference in believing in God and actually believing God, my friend. When you look at yourself, are you basing your perception on who the world says you are, or on who God says you are?

Paul wrote, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Moses is not alone in his feelings. Throughout Scripture, God chooses the unlikely and uses the unqualified. David was a young shepherd boy overlooked by his own family, yet he defeated Goliath and became a king after God’s own heart. Jeremiah believed he was too young, but God still appointed him as a prophet to the nations. Gideon hid in fear, calling himself the least in his family, yet God saw him as a mighty warrior. Mary was a young, ordinary girl who was chosen to bring the Son of God into the world. Over and over, we see the same pattern: God delights in using what others consider insignificant to show off His strength. His power doesn’t depend on our worldly qualifications—it shines through our limitations.

I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:13

Maybe what you need is less self-confidence and more God-confidence. Stop rehearsing your flaws and start recalling His faithfulness! Consider keeping an “Insecurity Inventory”: write down what you feel disqualifies you from being used by God, then match it up with Scripture.

“I’m not smart enough.” — God gives wisdom generously (James 1:5)

“I’ve failed too much.” — There is no condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1)

“I feel alone.” — God will never leave you (Deuteronomy 31:6)

After all Moses had been through—the objections, the fears, the wilderness wanderings, the miracles, and the failures—something changed. By the end of his life, we no longer see him addressing God with that same distant formality.

I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He. – Deuteronomy 32:3-4

The Moses who once shrank back with “Who am I, Lord?” now boldly proclaims the covenant name of “I AM.” This isn’t just a change in theology—it’s a testimony. Moses had personally experienced the faithfulness, nearness, and unshakable character of God. His insecurities were covered by God’s sufficiency. By the end, Moses no longer spoke of Him as a distant Lord, but as a faithful Rock. He was who God said he was. May we all go into the world with that same confidence!

Lord, I offer You all my “I can’t.” Fill me with Your strength where I feel weak. Make me bold not because I believe in myself, but because I believe in You. Remind me that I don’t have to be perfect to be used. I just have to be willing. You are the One who speaks through broken vessels. Speak through me. Amen.