5 Responses When You Feel Not Good Enough

For any one who ever felt not good enough, there are a number of questions that run through your head.

For today’s #SummerSizzleBlogHop feature I welcome my friend, Valerie Murray to address this very topic. Valerie is on a mission to help women conquer their fears and feelings of inadequacy. I’ve seen firsthand how she victoriously fought her most recent fear battle and I can tell you that this woman is an overcomer. I completely believe that you will be blessed by her message.

By the way, throughout June and July, I’m featuring eight of my Christian blogging friends. We’ve pulled our best Christian faith content from our treasure chests to encourage you this summer. Be sure to stop by next week to see who’s in the #SummerSizzleBlogHop spotlight.

Today, it’s Valerie’s turn to shine.

When You Feel Not Good Enough

Have you questioned that still, small voice nudging you to do something out of your comfort zone—something that would show love to others and bring God glory?

And the conversation in your head goes something like this:

Lord, you want me to do what? Certainly, there is someone with more experience who would do a much better job! What if I fail? Or worse, make a fool of myself? What if I’m not good enough?

The truth is, we all feel inadequate at times.

Am I qualified? Can God really use me?

When you start to question your calling, it helps to remember these truths.

 

1. Your Adequacy Comes From God

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate servants of the new covenant. (2 Corinthians 3:4)

You see, we don’t need to be adequate in ourselves because our adequacy comes from God. He makes us adequate!

Our adequacy comes from God!

And according to this verse, not only does our adequacy come from God, but so does our confidence.

I can feel confident in who God made me and how He chooses to use me. I can move forward with what he has laid upon my heart with confidence.

I am ready for anything, through Him who infuses inner strength into me. I am sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency. Philippians 4:13

2. God Will Equip You

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:17

The word of God equips and trains us for every good work. It’s important to go to the word of God to receive direction.

We don’t need to be afraid because the Bible says that the word of God equips us for every good work!

Every believer has received the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables us to live for God and works His power through our weakness.

There are so many verses in the Bible to assure us that God works in us to fulfill his purposes:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Acts 1:8

For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:13 NIV

I can do all this through Christ who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.  Romans 12:4-6 

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. (I Peter 1:3) NIV

3. God Uses Weakness to Show His Strength

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

When you are feeling weak you can pray that the power of Christ will rest upon you. 

Rest!

That’s right, you don’t need to be a ball of nerves! You can rest in the strength God will give you.

It doesn’t matter if you feel weak or inadequate because God will use your weakness to prove His power.

Would you ever guess that the man who led the Israelites out of Egypt, pleaded with God to send someone else?

Yes, Moses questioned his abilities even after God assured him!

4. God Will Be With You 

Moses asked God, Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? Exodus 3:11

God’s response to Moses?

I will be with you. Exodus 3:12

When we feel insecure we need to remember we are not alone. God is always with us.

But even after this reassurance, Moses continued to second guess himself.

5. God Will Help You

What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, “The Lord did not appear to you? Exodus 3:13

So, then God gave Moses three signs to use to prove to the people that what he said was from him.

He told Moses his staff would turn into a snake, his hand would become leprous and then be restored, and he would take water from the Nile and when he poured it onto the ground it would turn into blood. God even gave Moses a preview of the first two signs.

I just love how God helped Moses by giving him signs to help the Israelites believe him.

But Moses was still feeling inadequate!

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.” 

Boy, do I sympathize with Moses feeling insecure in his ability to communicate God’s message. I often feel the same way when I speak.

“I am ready for anything, through Him who infuses inner strength in me. I am sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.” Phillipians 4:13

Once again, God encouraged Moses to look to Him for strength and help.

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 teach you what to say.” Exodus 4:10-16

God assures Moses that he will help him speak and give him the words.

But, nope, it doesn’t end there. Moses is still unsure.

He begins to plead with God to send someone else!  

But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”

Ok, now God is mad! But in his loving mercy, He gives Moses someone who will speak for him.

Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him.”

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God who also made us adequate servants of the new covenant. 2 Corinthians 3:4

So, the next time you find yourself responding to God’s direction with these questions and doubts —

• Who am I to do that God?
• What if I’m not good enough?
• But Lord, I don’t (name your weakness)
• Can you please send someone else?

— remember the truth of who you are in Christ.

Remember your sufficiency is not found in your own ability and talents. It’s found in the sufficiency you have in Christ.

Perhaps just like Moses, God is reassuring us to trust and believe He is present, equipping us for the task.

Let’s give up our own inadequate view of who we are and all the reasons why we think we can’t do something and instead say,

“Yes, God. If that is what you want me to do, even though I’m nervous and feel like I’m not good enough, I will do it. And I will trust in your sufficiency.”

How about you?

In what areas do you feel not good enough?

Which of these five truths are you claiming today?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

Photo Credit: Pexels

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Meet Valerie Murray

Valerie Murray is a wife of 22 years and a busy mom to 4 energetic children. She writes at ValerieMurray.com about keeping faith and family strong through Christ. Her heart’s desire is to offer hope to others and declare the glory of God in her life through her writing. Her mission is to offer encouragement to struggling marriages, overwhelmed moms and people striving to face their fears and know their worth. Coffee, chocolate and a good movie always makes her happy! You can find her on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, StumbleUpon, Instagram & Google+.

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How about some extra summer sparkle?

I’m teaming up with some of my favorite blogging friends to bring you the best of the best, all summer long.

During June and July, we’re sharing our top posts in the #SummerSizzleBlogHop. Each week you’ll find a new post on each of our blogs (Counting My Blessings with Deb Wolf, Valerie Murray, Ruthie Gray, Dawn Klinge, Nicki Schroeder, Diana from Diana’s Diaries, Melanie Redd, Married by His Grace with Carmen Brown, and of course right here on SunSparkleShine.

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