Not qualified
This is the second, “not” many of us cling to that keeps us from becoming who we are created to be. We read in 2 Timothy 1:7
“You see, God did not give us a cowardly spirit but a powerful, loving, and disciplined spirit.”
Unfortunately we rarely believe Paul’s words. Sure, sometimes we’re just lazy but more often we’re scared. We, like Moses in Genesis 13, can come up with a laundry list of reasons why we’re not good enough and just wish God would ask or send someone else. Some of us have experienced huge setbacks. Some of us have been mistreated and abused. We’d rather not have the opportunity. We’d rather people expect less of us than see us for who we truly are. That way no one gets disappointed.
Confidence plays a key role everything we do so we must seek to understand it. I’m not speaking of arrogance. Arrogance is the worst form of false advertisement. It’s self-loathing masquerading as confidence cloaked in a perpetual fear of its own unmasking. Confidence allows us to pour everything we’ve got into an opportunity. Arrogance whispers that we should hold back so that if we fail we’ll have an excuse. Confidence draws people into relationships by allowing vulnerability. Arrogance destroys relationships for fear of being weak.
We also know that pride comes before a fall and we dare not fall so we err on the side of self-debasement misdefined as humility. Unfortunately, if we live this way long enough we fall victim to our own lie. Humility does not make one worth less or worthless. Humility is the result of a person understanding their value and, not choosing to devalue themselves, but choosing to set aside their value for the good of others. Consider the words of
Philippians 2:3-4
“Don’t let selfishness and prideful agendas take over. Embrace true humility, and lift your heads to extend love to others. Get beyond yourselves and protecting your own interests; be sincere, and secure your neighbors’ interests first.”
Think about the description of Christ immediately after the above section of scripture. Did he sell himself short by pretending to be powerless or did set aside his power for our benefit?
Confidence stems from both knowing and accepting who we are. It was the lack of that understanding that led Adam and Eve to the apple. They were already everything God had made them to be. They had nothing to prove yet somehow Eve was led to believe she wasn’t enough. When we give ourselves to the Lord and become clothed in Christ we are restored. We once again must allow God to define us. As coheirs and brothers and sisters with Christ we’ve become enough. We’re more than enough. We’re a royal priesthood. We’re more than conquerors. Were fearfully and wonderfully made. I’d like to ask you this question.
What would you do differently tomorrow if you could see yourself as good enough today?
“Reputation is what others think of us; character is what God knows of us. When you have spent what feels like eternity trying to repair a few moments of time that destroyed the view others once had of you then you must ask yourself if you have the problem or is it really them? God doesn’t make us try so hard, only enemies do.”
― Shannon L. Alder
