IdentitySample

Day 2: Because of Jesus, I am enough.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank you for adopting me into your family and making me a new creation. Amen.

Reading:

Have you ever thought that no matter how hard you tried or how hard you worked at something, it would never be quite good enough? Have you ever felt like you were always falling short of someone’s expectations? You are not alone. Most of us have believed this about ourselves at some point in our lives:

I don’t measure up.

I am not worthy.

I am not enough.

What we believe about ourselves is a powerful influencer of our behaviors. 

If we really do believe that we are not good enough, that we are not worthy of love, we will work hard to behave in a way that we believe will gain someone’s acceptance. We will feel guilt and shame when we don’t meet that person’s standards or expectations. And the cycle will continue. It’s an exhausting way to live.

But, there is another way! 

When we trust Christ, God adopts us into his family. We become his children. If we don’t behave like his children, it’s because we fail to grasp the awesome scope of what he did when he redeemed us through the death and resurrection of his Son. 

So who does God say we are? The apostle Paul wrote this to first-century Jesus followers in the city of Corinth:

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

This passage tells us that when we become a Christian and place our trust in Jesus, we become a brand-new person. It means that we can experience freedom by living the life God has designed for us—a life where what God says about us and who we are is how we see ourselves. 

And because of Jesus, God says... you are enough.

You are loved.

You have a purpose.

You belong.

You are HIS.

Believing you are enough because of Jesus can totally shift your perspective. It can bring freedom you didn’t know was possible. You can rest and be encouraged in what God says about you. When you become weary, you can focus on these truths that will shift your mind and heart. 

Reflection: 

In what areas do you feel you don’t measure up? How can reminding yourself that you are fully accepted and approved by God help you? If that truth really sunk in, how would it change your emotions and actions?