Faith over fear is easy to say. It is another thing entirely to live it out in a room full of people who have no idea you nearly said no.
This past weekend, I had the honour of serving as a judge for Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2026. If I am being honest, it was not a space I would ordinarily find myself in. Not because I have anything against pageantry, I was once a model myself, and I carry a deep appreciation for the industry, but simply because it is not a world I naturally gravitate towards.
When the opportunity arrived, my first response was not excitement. It was a quiet rush of questions. Why me? Am I qualified for this? What value do I actually have to offer here?
Before I answered, I spent time in prayer, fasting, and seeking God’s direction. I needed to know whether this was an assignment He was calling me to, or something I was stepping into on my own.
What He reminded me of in that time changed everything.
What the Bible Says About Feeling Unqualified
God has always called ordinary people into extraordinary assignments. That is not a motivational line, it is the consistent pattern of Scripture.
Jeremiah believed he was too young and did not have the words to speak. God’s response was direct: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5, NIV). The assignment was never dependent on Jeremiah’s ability. It was dependent on God’s presence.
Moses focused on his limitations — his speech, his inadequacy, his sense that nobody would listen. God’s answer was not to fix those things first. He promised to be with him and to teach him what to say.
Gideon saw himself as the least in a weak clan. Yet God addressed him as a “mighty warrior” (Judges 6:12, NIV) before Gideon could see it in himself. God’s view of him was greater than his own self-perception.
Esther was not questioning her ability. She was confronting fear. Stepping forward carried real risk. Yet through prayer, fasting, and faith, she chose obedience over comfort and became part of God’s plan to preserve an entire nation.
None of them felt ready. Not one.
What Imposter Syndrome Sounds Like
In those weeks before Miss Universe Zimbabwe, I heard the familiar voice. Someone else is more deserving. Someone else is more experienced. Someone else is more qualified.
That voice has a name. It is imposter syndrome, the persistent internal narrative that tells you the room made a mistake by inviting you in.
The problem is that imposter syndrome is not just a mental health conversation. For a woman of faith, it is also a spiritual one. Because when I let that voice dominate, I am, in effect, telling God that His assignment does not match His ability.
I have written before about what it means to walk boldly in faith, and the truth I keep returning to is this: bold steps rarely feel bold in the moment. They mostly feel terrified.
Leya at the Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2026 judges’ table | Photo: Leya Mnangagwa
God Does Not Qualify the Called; He Qualifies Those He Calls
God does not qualify the called. He qualifies those He calls. That reframing was what allowed me to say yes. Not because all my questions had been answered. Not because my fears had disappeared. But because I trusted the One who was leading me.
One of the most important lessons I continue to learn is that God does not always lead us into places that make sense to us. Sometimes, He takes us beyond what is familiar. Sometimes, He opens doors we never imagined walking through. Sometimes, He places us in rooms we never expected to enter.
In those moments, the temptation is to stand at the threshold and talk ourselves out of it. To wait until we feel ready. To wait until we have more experience, more clarity, more proof that we belong.
But throughout Scripture, God uses people who feel inadequate in their own strength precisely so that His strength can be revealed through them.
What Faith Looks Like When You Cannot See the Full Picture
Faith rarely has the full picture. More often, it is trusting God enough to take the step in front of you and believing He will illuminate the next one when the time comes.
This connects to something I explored in my reflection on growing through every season in business, that growth rarely announces itself. It shows up as an uncomfortable invitation and asks you to trust the process.
At Miss Universe Zimbabwe, I sat at that judges’ table, and I did the work. I brought my full attention and the perspective God had developed in me. I did not wait until I felt qualified. I showed up because He said go.
As I listened to the contestants share their stories, values, and aspirations, I was reminded that leadership takes many forms. Sometimes it looks like standing on a stage. Sometimes it looks like sitting at a table entrusted with responsibility. In both cases, confidence is not the absence of fear; it is the willingness to show up fully despite it.
That is what faith over fear actually looks like. Not the absence of doubt. The decision to move anyway.
What the One Who Feels Unready Needs to Hear
You may be standing at the edge of a new season right now. A new opportunity, a new responsibility, or a dream that feels far beyond your reach. You may feel uncertain. You may feel afraid. You may wonder whether you are ready.
Here is what I want to say to you: your feelings do not qualify you for the assignment, and your fears do not disqualify you from it.
God’s peace, not certainty, not all the answers, but peace, is one of the greatest gifts He gives us in those moments. A peace that allows us to move forward even when we cannot see the entire road.
My prayer is that you never allow fear, insecurity, disappointment, or doubt to convince you to stay where God is calling you to move. The greatest blessing, the greatest growth, and the greatest purpose are often waiting on the other side of obedience.
Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2026 | Photo: Leya Mnangagwa
A Final Word
Faith over fear is not a feeling you arrive at. It is a choice you make, often repeatedly, in the same afternoon. Do it afraid. God’s presence is the qualification you need.
If this resonated with you, I would love to know in the comments. And if you know someone who is standing at the edge of something that scares them, share this with them today.
For more reflections like this, you might also find comfort in Walk Boldly in Faith, a piece that explores what it means to take the step even when the path is not yet clear.
Do it afraid. Walk through the door. Take the step. Start the conversation. Submit the application. Say yes to the assignment. God’s presence will meet you there.
