Enough Already

Fifteen years of ministry have proven to me that we all struggle with the belief that we are “not good enough.” It is the most common refrain we hear from our clients. That subtle lie is the mother of all shame and the source of all debilitating emotional, mental, and relational stress. Shame is the belief that there is something wrong with me. Once you believe you are not good enough, you also perpetually feel like you do not have enough time, talent, resources, money, love, or acceptance.

• • TIME CANNOT GIVE YOU WORTH…
    so there will never be enough time.
  • TALENT CANNOT GIVE YOU VALUE…
    so even the talents God ­granted you feel empty.
  • RESOURCES CANNOT GIVE YOU SECURITY…
    so even the resources you have leave you feeling poor.
  • EVERYONE KNOWS THAT “MONEY CAN’T BUY YOU LOVE,”
    so your thirst will never be quenched.
  • OTHERS’ ACCEPTANCE CANNOT GIVE YOU LOVE.
    so your hunger for approval will never be satisfied.

The debilitating and angsty feeling of lack has been reverberating in our hearts ever since Eve “saw the fruit was good for knowledge.” I can see how I spent a good part of my life trying to prove my worth, mostly to myself. Not only did/does that lie bounce around in my mind and feelings, but I’ve passed it to others through unrealistic expectations for them to meet my needs. Eventually, I rejected them with a simple sigh and worse behavior, because they couldn’t supply what I lacked either.

The belief that we are not good enough is like an echo bouncing around in our hearts, sometimes loudly and sometimes, like an evil whisper. Then God spoke into this darkness and said,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word [Jesus] was with God, and the Word was God. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend [overpower] it. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace [God’s power] and truth. As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:1-14)

Christ the Redeemer came and delivered the believer from the kingdom of ­darkness—the worldly mindset of lack, never enough. 

Christ secured your worth forever when you were crucified and raised to new life in Christ. Nothing can top God’s purchase price, nor can anything, or any failure or sin, reduce your value. It is the gift of new birth. The resurrection power of Christ raised you to live from a different realm with access to an ancient source—Christ, the tree of life.

Before Adam and Eve sinned, God declared that they were “very good”—they had enough. They had God the Father. All their needs were secure in God Himself. In Christ, there is a new refrain redeeming our lives, one echo chamber at a time, until a new mindset is formed in us.

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. ­Beloved, now we are children of God. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him. (1 John 3:1–3)

And God is able to make all grace abound to His children, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

Jesus is the Son of God, and we, too, are like Him. We are the sons of God, and we already have enough in Christ.

It is a vain imagination to believe that abundance means we are secure because of stockpiles or excess. God’s abundance is not like winning the biggest lottery ever. When God said He would lead us to green pastures, westerners imagine the lush green fields of America. But in Israel, green pastures were arid ranges with sprigs of grass heavy with the dew from heaven. There was always enough, which taught them to rely on God daily—no barns needed.

As we look inside and see who we are in Christ, we eventually discover that our feebleness is no match for life. In that way, we understand what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, “not that I am adequate in myself.” But. “My adequacy comes from God.” (2 Corinthians 3:4-5)

Paul’s worth and adequacy were not anchored to his performance, possessions, or people. All his needs were secure in God Himself. New birth moved your spirit into the kingdom of Light. The revelation of your identity in Christ moves your mind into the kingdom of Light, where there is no lack.

There are two sides to the worn-out statement, “I am not good enough.”

If we believe that we are “good,” but not “good enough,” we put forth our “good” to prove our worth on an endless treadmill of frustration. Rather than resting in Christ, we struggle to be good “enough,” only proving to ourselves that we are not good enough to operate independently of God. Jesus cuts to the chase and said, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.” (Luke 18:19)

That is why God transferred you into His Son. In Christ, you are more than good enough. Your spirit (identity) is righteous, holy, endowed with power, full of God’s life, light, love, and acceptance.

We all face many challenges, setbacks, and heartaches. When you feel that you or something is not “enough,” simply and honestly share those thoughts and feelings with your Heavenly Father. In that secret space, His goodness overflows. You will find restoration for your weary mind and emotions. You can now say, “Enough Already,” because you are “already enough” in Jesus. Together, let’s face the ups and downs with stout hearts, knowing that in Christ we are already enough.

God bless you, my dear friends, and Happy Resurrection Day,

Theresa