I’m Not Good Enough

We all have a deep-seated need to be accepted and loved, and to feel deep inside our beings that we are of value. However, incidences in our past can damage us and cause us to not only feel rejected, but to also reject ourselves and others. Studies show that the same areas of the brain become activated when we experience rejection as when we experience physical pain. This is why rejection hurts so much (neurologically speaking). But seeking to be someone else is a waste of the person you are, the person God has chosen you to be, and called you to be.

We can find ourselves always looking beyond what we have accomplished, or are accomplishing, and comparing ourselves with others who seem to be better than us, cleverer than us, or better looking than us. But God has not called us to be them. He has called us to be us, and He is more than satisfied when we are just doing what He has called us to do and we are embracing the person He loves unconditionally.

The problem with what I have written is that it can just be words; nice words but still words that we find difficult to embrace. So, let’s try looking at it another way.  Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress. Name the last five Deputy Prime Ministers of the UK or Vice Presidents of the USA.

Did you find that hard? These were famous people. The point is that none of us remembers those who filled the headlines of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one. Name two teachers who made a positive impact on your journey through school. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time. Name three people who have taught you something worthwhile. Think of two people who have made you feel appreciated and special! Think of three people you enjoy spending time with. Was that easier?

So, what’s the lesson to learn here? The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They simply are the ones who care the most, the ones who made you feel accepted, and who made you feel you matter and belong. And even if your answers to those last questions are sketchy and you’ve only got a few names on your lists, Father God loves you more than anyone who ever has or ever will. He wants you to take the focus off yourself and your perceived failings and to be someone on that last list. Someone only you can make a difference to.