Fierce Faith: Fighting Fear & Overcoming AnxietySample

Overcoming the Fear that You Don’t Measure Up

Have any of these thoughts arisen in your mind lately?

“You’re not good enough to follow God’s calling in your life.” 

“You aren’t good enough to serve and help others.”

“You aren’t equipped to build that business.”

“You aren’t smart enough to pursue your God-given dreams.”

“You aren’t strong enough to walk through a tough season with grace.”

“You aren’t lovable enough to be completely loved and accepted by others.”

These are all whispers of the enemy. We are in a war—a war for our hearts and our minds. Even though our souls are safe and protected by Jesus, the enemy battles every day to get into our hearts and minds. 

We internalize his lies as truth and tell ourselves the same lies the enemy is speaking over us. When this happens, we are joining the enemy and doing his work for him. 

And if we allow those seeds of doubt to go unchecked, they will sprout up into weeds of insecurity, confusion, and fear. We cannot just keep chopping off the top of the weeds, hoping they won’t crop up again. We have to get to the root of them and rip them out of there. The root of the problem is that we join in with the enemy’s assessment of us. We get self-conscious, self-critical, and self-blaming. 

Instead of joining in with his chorus of lies over us, we have to live like we believe that what Jesus did on the cross was enough to overcome our past, pains, failures, and fears. 

Our mistakes can be redeemed. 

God can heal our ugliest thoughts. 

He can change our worst behaviors.

Our most troubling emotions can be soothed. 

His promises for restoration, redemption, and total recovery are for each and every person! What would it look like if we walked in the belief that we are truly, madly, deeply loved and accepted, just as we are, and not as we think we should be? What if we truly believed 1 John 3:1?

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 

Whatever God calls you to do, he will strengthen you to do it. Jesus takes our mess and makes it his best. Whatever he has called you to do in this world, he has in all his vast wisdom judged you to be worthy. And through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in you, you will be equipped for all you are meant to do (Hebrews 13:21). With this truth and this power, we are free to be brave, strong, and secure. 

If God, maker of all heaven and earth, has complete confidence in us, who are we to doubt ourselves? All we have to do is press forward to win the prize he’s already claimed for us. 

Prayer:

Lord, I am sorry for believing that you aren’t strong enough to restore me, renew me, and strengthen me to do all that you’ve called me to do. Whenever I begin to focus on all the reasons I don’t think I measure up, remind me that I am defined by you alone, and you say I am chosen, beloved, and secure in you! Amen. 

Action Step:

Identify a lie the enemy has spoken to you that you tell yourself as part of your story. Find a truth in God’s word to replace that lie and speak it over yourself as often as the lie comes to mind.