God, I'm not good enough.

I decided to become an author because I knew God had given me a story to tell. Over the many years I’ve been writing, there have been more times than I can count where I’ve experienced doubt and the pressures of being “good enough”. I’m sure we all have, at some point. But for me, I allowed that fear to keep me from following God’s calling for my life.

I spent three years telling myself I had to “get good” at writing before I could tackle my heart story, the one that I knew was God-given. And while I’m eternally grateful for how God guided me to this moment, where I’m finally able to write that heart story, I also wish that I had known something all those years that perhaps would have kept those doubts from surfacing at all.

I often feel like I have to better myself or make myself worthy of serving God. I feel like if I want to do something for His glory, I first must erase any flaws that would keep me from doing that. I chase the feeling of being “good enough” like it’s an affirmation of my calling.

But when I can’t reach that state of being “good enough” (which was always bound to happen— we are sinful and broken people, after all) doubts flood my mind and heart as to whether I was even called in the first place. And even after reminders from God that yes, I was meant to write this story for Him, I felt like I couldn’t, even if I wanted to.

I had an overwhelming desire to do my story— God’s story— justice. I wanted to ensure that it would be perfect, that it would completely fulfill God’s desire for it. But because I thought that way, I forced myself to adhere to those same standards. Either way, I was striving for something that wasn’t possible. At least, it wasn’t possible alone.

God doesn’t ask us to do something and leave us to figure out how. He doesn’t silently judge us for not being good enough to accomplish His plans. If this were true, then David may never have slain the giant, or Moses may never have led God’s people out of Egypt, or Paul may never have gone on to share the Gospel with thousands of people across the world.

When God calls us to do something, He doesn’t just present us with a task. God equips us for His plans. He gives us what we need in order to fulfill His calling.

And we need to have faith that God will see His plans through.

David had faith that where his strength was lacking, God’s strength would prevail.

Moses had faith that where he was afraid, God would give him courage.

Paul had faith that where he was flawed and imperfect, God would bring people to salvation through him.

We cannot let fear and doubt and the pressure to be “good enough” stop us from trusting that God will make His plans happen. I had to have faith that where I felt like I didn’t know enough about writing or outlining or marketing, God would equip me with what I needed to serve Him.

When we tell ourselves that we can’t follow God’s calling because we “aren’t good enough”, that isn’t just a lack of confidence. We are actively telling God that He can’t make it happen. We’re undermining the omnipotence and sovereignty of God with our human doubts.

God calls each and every Christian to serve Him in some way. Rather than ignoring His will or doubting ourselves (and through that, doubting Him) we need to place our trust in Him, in that He can make it happen if it’s for His glory.

An oft-quoted verse is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” I want to preface this with the fact that this verse is usually taken far out of context as a means of self-encouragement or that we can prevail against our struggles. But that isn’t what the verse means at all.

If we look at the Amplified version— which I feel gives much more context into the actual meaning of the words— it says, “I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose— I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]

This verse is almost entirely different to what people assume it means. In the context of the passage, Paul is under house arrest for sharing the Gospel, and is writing to the Philippians that he is willing to follow God wherever He leads him— even to imprisonment— because Paul knows that God will give him the strength to endure for His name’s sake and the peace to comfort him through any doubt.

We may not be “good enough”, but that is to be expected. We may have doubts or fears, and that is to be expected. But we cannot let them hold us back. We must accept that yes, we are weak. Yes, we are broken. But God uses broken people to fulfill His plans. We are vessels for His glory, and though we might be cracked and chipped, His light shines through every imperfection to reveal His perfection in us.

Are you trusting in God’s sovereignty? Do you believe that He will equip you for the task He has set before you, no matter your current circumstances? Are you placing full faith that God will work for His glory where you might fail?

We are broken, sinful creatures. We will never be “good enough”. But God is. And by trusting in Him, he will work all things for His glory and our good.

“And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. And those whom he predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity].” Romans 8:28-30 AMP

See you among the shelves,

Emma G. McKee

Join the Discussion!

Join me and the community on Substack to interact with other writers and authors and share your story!

Related Posts