Self-help books litter shelfs declaring that you’re awesome and you’re amazing and you’re enough. But what if the hype isn’t true? What if the truth is that we aren’t enough? What then?
Theologically I believe we have been born into sin, broken and prone to fracture. So how do we live in the tension of wanting to be enough and feeling like we’ll never be enough?
Tomorrow I’m speaking at The Crossing on the topic of enough. I would love some feedback on what it is you feel you aren’t enough to handle or enough to fill. If you’re in the Southern California area, feel free to come out and join the fun!
When do you feel like you’re not enough?
I often feel like I’m not enough to please other people’s expectations (especially when it comes to ministry). This is something that God has been working on in me a lot lately. I could run myself ragged trying to please everyone else, and still fail. But when I change my focus to pleasing God, then everything gets put into perspective and I have nothing to worry about. He is so good like that. 🙂 Wish I could come here you speak! I know it’ll be great!
Oh Tiffany, I TOTALLY relate to this! The fear of man is a snare that I WILLINGLY jump into because I live up to people’s expectations. Thank you for sharing this and I can’t wait to share this with other people tonight 🙂
I am an empty vessel that needs to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. Its never enough when I walk in my strength so I need to abbide in Hie Word. We are born broken and in sin but Christ redeemed us to be in this world but not of it.
Great answer, Liz. Can I ask you something deeper? How do you get this point? If could you share this with someone else, what would you say?
I came back to read this post to remind myself of what I need to do and noticed you replied so here is my answer. Excuse my type errors keyboard is off.
My own brokeness and failures (Big Ones) brought me to the place of accepting my nothingness (is that a word teacher?)
The way I would tell someone ls this: Hey stupid would you drive your car without gasoline? Well then fuel up!
JK…well only if I really loved the person I would say that but nicer. 🙂 so today I need to fuel up.
I find the times I struggle with feeling like enough this season is generally when I don’t do what I am supposed to do or what I know I should do.
Couldn’t agree more! Thanks for your response 🙂 I hope to use these answers to share with the group I’ll be teaching tonight.
Every day.
God has called me to devote my life to missions- for now in Cambodia. I’ll be moving there in December for at least two years.
I live in York, near the CC Bible College, and spend a lot of time there with the students. I look at them each day and see so many with so much more faith, so much more diligence, reverence, obedience, dedication to the Lord and to living for Christ than I. But for some reason God has this frail weakling going out to the front lines of the battlefield.
I suppose it brings a better understanding that “His strength is made perfect in weakness.”
All glory to Him. And praise God He knows what He’s doing!
Amen! I couldn’t agree more. Praying for you on this journey!!!
I feel when I’m not enough when I try to fill somebody else’s expectations about me. I struggle with perfectionism, so feeling that I’m not enough is something that I feel often. It took me many years to understand that I don’t have to please anybody but God; I don’t have to live to anybody’s expectations but God’s, and even so my humanity makes me feel not enough.
There is something powerful (not as in magical) in recognizing and embracing the Cross, Christ sacrifice for His children that only makes me grateful because He saw and knows what I am capable of doing. Recognizing I am not enough has only more aware of the power of God that fills my life when I acknowledge how weak I am, because He makes me strong, He makes me enough. <3
Bravo! Bravo! What a beautiful answer.
To be brutally honest, I do not feel like I am “enough” when I let my mind dwell on this world’s expectations for me. Like still single at 31, no children of my own, still driving a car that I drove in high school (it’s a machine), renting instead of buying…etc.
But, it is “enough” to know that God has a purpose for me to fulfill on this earth and He knows what He is doing!
I just have to remind myself all the time!
Great answer! When we compare ourselves to the world, we will never be enough. But God has a plan to use the weak and frail things of the world. Keep fighting the fight!
My biggest struggle recently has been that my young adult children have been telling me that I’m not enough … I didn’t say “I love you” enough … I didn’t say “I’m proud of you” enough … I didn’t love them.
Truly HARD. I have given my kids ALL that I can for 27 years, and suddenly … I haven’t done enough.
Please keep us in your prayers. We are walking through some TOUGH stuff.
Hope you time in Atlanta was BLESSED! A friend of mine attended.
Mama D. 🙂
Oh Mama D! This is tough. So, so tough. Your words ring true for so many moms… please know your honestly will bring healing. Do you mind if I share this comment tonight?
Don’t mind at all, if you share my comment … as it may help someone else to know that they are not alone in the journey they are walking.
🙂 🙂 🙂
I feel I’m not enough for those I love – like they are too good for the little love I have or I am not good enough for them to be receiving love from. And not enough to make a difference – like there’s too much pain in the world for one me to solve or even make a dent in. (Mother Theresa had a cure for that that I have to keep telling myself)
Thank you for your response. I appreciate your honesty.