When I don't feel like I am "Good Enough"
- Lori Joy
- Dec 2, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 23, 2024
I think the biggest lie that Satan tries to convince us of is... that (for whatever reason) we are not good enough.
Lord knows I have struggled with this from time to time in my many years of walking with God. Even though I know that Jesus loves me and died for the forgiveness of my sins (as well as for the forgiveness of everyone's sins), I still sometimes felt like, "yeah but my sins are so much worse and so I'm not worthy... I'm not good enough to serve God or to be used by Him for good".
If one looks at who Jesus chose as His disciples... they were not the highly educated, nor were they the most pious, saintly people in society... indeed they were quite the opposite. When Jesus selected His 12 disciples, they were rough around the edges, and far from perfect. They were what the religious elite of the day would have considered to be "the rejects" and the "unworthy" in society. The were rough around the edges and in no way perfect. But Jesus saw their worth, and He asked them to follow Him... and in faith they did. But they were not miraculously the perfectly saintly Apostles in the beginning. Indeed, it took time for them to learn and grow in their faith and understanding of how we as followers of Christ should be. It was over the course of time that Jesus educated, enlightened, encouraged them to be the salt of the earth (salt being that which preserves), and also to be a light on this earth (to show others the way to salvation).
Scriptures show that Jesus even forgave prostitutes, thieves, tax collectors... even thought these were culturally considered to be the most sinful, and disrespected people in Jewish society. Jesus taught that ANYONE who would repent and turn away from their sins and follow Him could be forgiven and considered acceptable in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. And in the end Jesus died for the atonement of all of our sins... sealing for all time that whoever believes in Him shall not be condemned to eternal death, but shall have everlasting life in Heaven.
Indeed, I am not perfect. I have made mistakes in my lifetime... who hasn't? Only Jesus was the spotless Lamb, without fault or flaw. But, I know and trust in Jesus that my sins are forgiven, and as I have left my life in His most capable hands, and I know He will shape me and help me to grow in Him. I know that where there is still work to be done in me to change for the better, that God will manifest that change in His perfect time. He is the creator after all... He made me, and if ever I'm in need of reshaping He is more than capable of doing just that. And He can certainly do a far better job of that than I can in my own power.
I will admit however, that it took me some time to reach this point in my faith and to be able to really give it ALL over to the Lord. While I knew that God's word says that He forgave me of my sins and mistakes... I admit I still struggled for a very long time in believing that God would think me worthy of forgiveness, because I did not feel I was worthy of forgiveness. But really the problem was that I just could not forgive myself. Thankfully, the Lord put a few people in my life to help me work through and overcome my insecurities so that I could eventually come to forgive myself, just as the Lord had forgiven me... and just let it go and leave it with God. You see, what I finally came to understand is that... "There is no condemnation to those who are in Jesus Christ" (Romans 8:1). I had indeed repented and turned from my sin, so there was no need to keep condemning myself for it. Once I finally grasped that... oh the tearful gratitude I felt as I fell to my knees thanking and praising God for His great mercy.
I say to you today, if you have been struggling with the same or similar doubts as I had... please don't let Satan deceive you into thinking that you are somehow not good enough to be used by God for the greater good. The Bible is full of very imperfect characters in history who did a great deal of good in the name of the Lord. God used them in mighty ways, and he can use you too. The disciples were still "in training" and being used by the Lord in His work. They were obedient servants learning as they went, correcting their mistakes along the way as they worked to save the lost and bring them to salvation in Christ. If the disciples had all waited until they were perfect, not a soul would have been saved because the reality is that none of us will ever be "perfect" until Jesus returns and we are raptured and transformed into our new heavenly beings.
So I say to all of you...
You Are Worthy!
You Are Good Enough!
God Can, and Will Use You According To His Will And Purpose!
You just need to give it over to Him.
So if you see something in me that you think isn't up to snuff for a Christian, or an area where I need strengthening, then by all means pray for me... God is able.
If you see something in any other Christian that you think is in need of growth, then indeed pray for them also and leave it in God's capable hands, He is able.
If you see something in yourself that you feel a conviction is not up to snuff in your own walk with God, then by all means pray and give it over to the Lord to work that change in you.
Again, God is... always has been... and always will be ABLE.
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