Then I heard the Lord’s voice, saying, “Whom can I send? Who will go for Us?” So I said, “Here I am. Send me!” –Isaiah 6:8 

Changed by the Spirit

Ever feel inadequate? Like you just don’t quite measure up to everyone else? 

Isaiah could certainly relate. When Uzziah (the king of Israel) died, Isaiah’s world was suddenly thrown into a tailspin. He’d grown up around the king’s court, so the news of Uzziah’s death left him feeling lost, confused, uncertain, and hopeless. But at this low point in Isaiah’s life, God appeared to him.

Encounter with God

Isaiah writes, “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted” (Isaiah Chapter 6).

Face to face with a holy God, Isaiah is overcome with a tremendous sense of his own inadequacy and unworthiness. He cries out: “Oh, no! I will be destroyed. I am not pure, and I live among people who are not pure.”

Isaiah’s response is perfectly understandable. It’s all too easy to feel like we don’t measure up when we compare ourselves to those around us—how much more so when standing in front of God! 

Purified by an Angel

But watch what happens to Isaiah next: God sends an angel to pick up a live burning coal and place it on Isaiah’s lips, declaring: “Look, your guilt is taken away because this hot coal has touched your lips. Your sin is taken away.” While he’s still standing there, Isaiah hears God ask a question: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Without hesitation, he jumps up and cries: “Here I am! Send me!”

Why does Isaiah’s attitude change? What causes him to change from declaring, “I am impure!” to saying, “Here I am! Send me!”?

It’s simple. He was cleansed by the fire of God. 

Empowered Disciples

After Jesus ascended into heaven, the disciples found themselves in a situation similar to Isaiah’s. Before leaving, Jesus told them: “You will be My witnesses—in Jerusalem, in all of Judea, in Samaria, and in every part of the world” (Acts 1:8). But now, Jesus—their Master, the one who had spoken those words—was gone. Their future was uncertain, and they likely felt highly inadequate. 

Ten days later, however, everything changed. Those 120 men and women came out of the Upper Room filled with courage and boldly went out into the streets of Jerusalem proclaiming the message of Jesus to everyone they met (read the full story in Acts 2).

Why? What changed?

The Holy Spirit Purifies

It’s simple. The fire of God had fallen upon them, and they were filled with His Holy Spirit. All their fears, doubts, weaknesses, and insecurities suddenly became meaningless in light of God’s all-sufficient power in their lives. And God used those 120 men and women to ignite a fire that continues to blaze today.

Can you imagine what would have happened had Isaiah or the disciples ignored God’s purifying work in their lives? Don’t let your past and present mistakes or circumstances hold you back and keep you from answering God’s call! It’s not about you and your abilities, strengths, or qualifications; it’s about Him. He has redeemed you. In His eyes, you are clean and fully equipped for His good work.

Today, God is asking, “Whom shall I send? Who will go?” Will you answer and say, “Here I am! Send me!”?

What does this mean for me?

What’s keeping you from doing what God has called you to do? Maybe it’s the weight of past mistakes, feelings of inadequacy, or fear of what’s ahead. These insecurities can quietly hold us back from saying “yes” to God’s plans. But His truth has the power to overcome every barrier.

Take a moment and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what might be standing in your way. Write down whatever comes to mind, then search Scripture for promises that speak truth directly to those struggles. 

No matter what’s holding you back, remember this: You are made new by Christ, empowered by His Spirit, and fully equipped to do what He’s calling you to do.

This article is part of the Let’s Go devotional, which is focused on fulfilling Jesus’ Great Commission. Follow along with the devotional here.