Never Good Enough

Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you try, your "good" is just never good enough? No matter how high you jump, it’s not high enough? Or no matter how much you study, you just aren’t smart enough? Maybe it’s no matter how perfect your make-up is, you still don’t feel pretty enough? If you are honest, you have been here at some point in life. These feelings of unworthiness invade the mind of just about everyone—even Believers. It’s important that as Believers we deal with these emotions in a healthy manner so we aren’t journeying through life carrying extra baggage. Personally, I know from experience that carrying around extra baggage only leads to passive aggression, bitterness, and resentment. We have to set down the “not good enough” suitcases that weigh us down while walking with Christ.

Now, there is no formula to this, no three step program or process. It is simple—don’t put your worth in people. We sometimes unknowingly do this. Putting our worth in other people can look like this:

• You study your butt off to get a perfect score on the SATs just to get a “great job” and a high five from your dad. But unfortunately you don’t get the score you wanted to impress your father. You don't feel good enough. Your world is crashing.

• Your girlfriend or boyfriend decides that you two should “take a break”. He/she has found someone else. Now, there’s no one around that makes you “feel special” anymore. You don't feel good enough. Your world is coming down on you.

• Instead of passing the ball to someone that you know is open, you decide to take the winning shot. You think, “I’ll be the hero of the team”. You shoot but miss the shot. The team loses the game. You don't feel good enough. Your world is over.

Beloved, putting our worth in people will get us nowhere in our walk with Christ. We will stay right where we are, dissatisfied with our lack of growth. Sometimes, we TRY so hard to please others that when we find ourselves imperfect, passive aggression sets in. We become angry at the world, ourselves, and extremely passive toward God for not being perfect. Young girl reading this, you are beautiful because you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) not just because some guy told you. Young man, you are more than the athletic ability you have; you were called by His name out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). When our worth is in the wrong place, we are always left not feeling good enough. However, when our worth is in Christ, no matter how big the imperfections are, grace always covers. This is the ONLY way we will ever be good enough. 

Not long ago, I found that no matter how hard I TRIED, I was never good enough for anyone—including God. So when I would fall short, accepting His grace was VERY difficult. I would feel similar to how Adam and Eve felt when they fell. I would try to cover up my shame by putting my worth in everything else but God, instead of just allowing the Lord to clothe me in grace (Genesis 3:7, 21). At the time, I didn’t realize that God wasn’t like man. I didn’t have to show Him my works to be good enough. I didn’t have to be the smartest, jump the highest, or be America’s next top model to receive His perfect love. I didn’t have to TRY to be good enough for Him; I just needed to be myself. When I began to put my worth in the Lord I began to fully walk in the pathway He planned for me, while He covered my footprints in grace.

The fact of the matter is that you will never be good enough for people. You will always slip and fall. You will always be too much of “this” and not enough of “that.” Since no one is perfect, our “good” will never be “good enough” for one another. So stop trying. Through Christ we don’t have to worry about being good enough. His grace already proves our worthiness (Romans 5:20). That is the beauty of our Savior, Believer. Today, examine your heart, who are you putting your worth in? Whose approval are you seeking other than the Lord’s? Whose applause are you so desperate for? See, to our Father, man-made last place is really first place in His eyes (Matthew 20:16). He looks at your heart, not your works (1 Samuel 16:7). So yes, you’re right; you will NEVER be good enough for anyone on this planet because we are not perfect. As man measures your works, God is looking deep into your heart. Exchange those “not good enough” suitcases in your heart today and allow Him to clothe you with grace.