I don’t know about you, but often times I find myself struggling with the “not good enough syndrome.” If I’m not careful, it consumes my thoughts. “I’m failing as a mother,” “I’m not a good wife,” “I’m ugly” and so on. Have you been there or are you there right now? Sometimes I even go so far as to think if someone gives me a compliment, they just feel sorry for me so they thought they needed to say that, but they really don’t think that. Maybe it’s just me? If it’s not, then I’d like to share what the Lord has taught me when I find myself in these pits.
These are lies. Lies straight from the enemy. Satan wants nothing more than for us to believe that we are worthless. If we aren’t careful, we will begin to believe those lies and find our worth in something or someone else. Please don’t give something or someone that much credit. They will undoubtedly fail you. So, instead we must immerse ourselves in God’s Word. It is there we will find where the Lord refutes those lies and tells us just how valued we are. The beautiful words of Psalm 139: 13-14 tells us HE created us.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderful made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. – PSALM 139:13-14
Friend, you are a work of our God. He created you in all of His goodness. We must remember that. If you have to, put this verse on your mirror so you are reminded every morning when you wake up who created you. He created you for His glory.
Here is the key though – when we find ourselves in these pits the reality is: our focus is off. If you reread that first paragraph, notice the key word throughout: “I.” When we find ourselves saying “I’m not good enough” or “I’m a failure,” we have lost our focus. Our focus should remain on Jesus Christ. Remember, the One who created us? When we seek to honor Him in our daily lives, our focus changes from looking inward to looking upward. We realize we are complete in Him, and “I” goes out of the equation. Friend, I urge you to dig into His Word and find your completeness in Him which in turn equips you to be confident in being the women you were created to be as “Mom,” “Wife,” “Boss” or whatever your role is. He has you right where you are for a purpose, rest in Him and rock that role! You got this sister!
But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. – 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9
And just to note: if someone has the courage to come to you and give you a compliment, graciously accept it. This is a picture of the card one of our sweet boys gave my husband last year for Fathers Day. It says “my life would’ve been horrible without you Dad.” A funny compliment but an encouraging one nonetheless. So, when given a compliment realize that the Lord speaks through His people, sometimes in funny ways, but this very person may be answering the call of the Lord to encourage you. So thank them for the compliment. And don’t you forget sweet friend that you are a beautiful child of our Great King.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dawn Spicer is a wife to Jeremy and mom to identical twin boys. She is a part of the Womens Ministry Leadership team at River Oak Church in Chesapeake, VA. You can read her blog at thisgirlandgrace.wordpress.com.
