January 26, 2026 

In Jeremiah 1:4-8, God speaks to Jeremiah before he feels capable, confident, or prepared. Instead of focusing on Jeremiah’s ability, God begins with relationship, reminding him that he is already known and seen. When Jeremiah responds with fear and self-doubt, God does not withdraw the call but promises presence, revealing that discipleship begins not with readiness, but with being accompanied by God.

Devotional: 
There’s a particular kind of discomfort that comes with being known before you feel ready to be seen. Before you’ve found your footing. Before you know what to say or how to say it. God speaks to Jeremiah from that place, a place deeper than skill or confidence. “Before you were born, I knew you.” Not after you proved yourself. Not once you felt capable. Before any of that.

Jeremiah doesn’t respond with excitement. He responds with honesty. He feels too young. Too inexperienced. Not equipped for what God seems to be asking. His fear doesn’t come from disobedience, but from awareness. He knows his limits, and those limits feel heavy.

That response feels familiar. Many of us quietly believe that calling belongs to people who feel more confident than we do. We assume God waits for certainty, strength, or clarity before speaking into our lives. Jeremiah’s story gently pushes back on that assumption.

God doesn’t argue with Jeremiah’s fear. He doesn’t dismiss it or shame him for feeling unsure. He promises presence. “I am with you.” That promise doesn’t erase Jeremiah’s uncertainty, but it steadies him enough to remain present instead of retreating.

Calling often begins this way. Not with clarity, but with companionship. God does not wait for us to feel prepared before moving toward us. Being known comes first. Courage grows slowly, shaped by trust rather than certainty.

There is something deeply comforting about this passage if you’ve ever felt hesitant, small, or behind. God’s call does not depend on how ready you feel. It rests on God’s faithfulness, not your confidence. You do not have to become someone else before God can work through you.

Discipleship unfolds as we learn to trust that being known is enough. God walks with Jeremiah into the unknown, not ahead of him and not behind him, but beside him. Presence becomes the foundation, not performance.

If you feel unsure about what God might be asking of you, or if fear has been quietly holding you back, this story offers reassurance. You are not late. You are not overlooked. You are known, deeply and completely, and God’s presence goes with you into whatever comes next.

Action: 
Take a few quiet moments today to sit with the truth that God knows you fully, even the parts you feel unsure about. Without trying to fix or explain anything, simply acknowledge God’s presence with you and notice what it feels like to be known without conditions.

Prayer: 
God, thank You for knowing us before we feel ready and for calling us without waiting for confidence to arrive. When fear speaks loudly and self-doubt creeps in, remind us that You are with us. Help us trust Your presence more than our insecurity and walk forward one step at a time. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Thought for the Day:
God’s call rests on being known and accompanied, not on feeling ready.

Jeremiah didn’t feel ready when God spoke to him, and God didn’t wait for him to be. This devotional reflects on what it means to be fully known by God and gently led forward, even when fear and uncertainty are still present.