Why You Don’t Have to Be Good Enough

Posted on Mar 27, 2018 Topic : Women's Christian Living
Posted by : Sharon Jaynes

“I’m not good enough” was the undercurrent of my entire existence until I finally realized who I was and what I had in Christ. And I know I’m not alone. Many women are living in silent defeat, comparing themselves to other women who likewise are living in silent defeat.

I’m not a good mother. I’m not a good wife. I’m not a good Christian. I’m not a good witness. I’m not a good housekeeper. I’m not a good decorator. I’m not a good cook. I’m not a good . . .

One by one the petals fall from the beautiful flower God created us to be. Like ticker tape, our fragmented pieces of confidence scatter over the streets as the parade passes by.

Unfortunately, I wasted many precious years held captive by the enemy’s lies before I held up my chained hands to God and said, “I’m ready for You to cut me loose.”

Consider this:

Jacob was a liar.
Moses was a stutterer.
David was an adulterer.
Rahab was a prostitute.
Esther was an orphan.
Balaam’s donkey was… well, a donkey.

And yet God used each one of them to further His kingdom. You’re in good company. See, God doesn’t call us because we are particularly gifted or talented. He uses us because we are obedient and dependent on Him. He doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called.

Gideon is another one of God’s chosen leaders who argued that he wasn’t good enough. One day he was threshing wheat in a winepress when an angel of the Lord came to him. “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior,” the angel announced (Judges 6:12). Now, first of all, you don’t thresh wheat in a winepress. You thresh wheat in an open field by throwing it up in the air. The wind blows the chaff away and the grain falls to the ground. So what was Gideon doing in the winepress? He was so terrified of his enemies, the Midianites, that he was hiding. And yet, when the angel of the Lord came to him, he addressed Gideon as “mighty warrior.” No wonder Gideon said, “Pardon me?” (6:13,15).

As soon as God called Gideon to greater things, Gideon began making excuses. Gideon allowed his insecurities and inadequacies to set limitations in his life. Gideon argued, “How can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family” (6:15).

But God looked beyond Gideon’s insecurities. He knew who Gideon could be if he trusted in God’s power to work through him. The truth is, we can never go so far away from God that His grace can’t reach in to save us, and then use us.

Are you ready to let go of your insecurities and allow God to use you?