Am I good enough?

At one point or another, most people struggle with the question: Am I good enough?

The world often paints a skewed picture of “good enough”. Only if you reach a certain job position are good enough. If you drive an expensive car, you are good enough. You are good enough if your husband or wife reaches a certain status. If you live in the right neighbourhood, you are good enough. If your children excel in school, then you and they are good enough.

Live from the inside out

Good enough is not an “outside” thing. It’s an “inside” thing. It’s an inner knowing that you are good enough, right where you find yourself. No matter what job you do, whatever car you drive, or where you live. You are good enough. Period.

No job position, external success, financial success, a happy marriage or children who excel will bring you lasting inner peace and a feeling of “enough”. Because it does not lie in external things. It lies within us.

One can have all the money and success in the world, but none of it could bring inner peace. Healthy self-esteem is not built on external success. My question with this is: should you lose the money and the success (which is possible!), who are you then?

There is nothing wrong with success, but we cannot build our identity and our inner knowing that I am good enough on external success. Everything that lies outside of us, can be easily lost. But what lies inside cannot be lost or stolen.

You and I are good enough. Just as we are. Because God says so!

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works!

Psalm 139:14

Never good enough

The problem with the mindset that you are not good enough also causes you to later see everyone around you as not good enough. Nothing is wrong with your marriage, but it is not good enough. You have a job that others long for, but it is not good enough. Your children do well and are happy at school, but you force them to achieve more. If you don’t feel good enough inside, it affects everything around you too.

How you handle your relationships, how you raise your children etc. Because what you believe, becomes your thoughts. Your thoughts determine your emotions and your emotions determine your behaviour. So, it starts with what you believe.

Antidotes to the “not good enough” mindset

• Focus on Ps 139:14: “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”
• To win the “not good enough” game, refuse to participate.

Even before you have achieved any success or perhaps made a failure of your life, God has already said that you are good enough. Even before you were born, God declared you good enough.

You are good enough – just the way you are. Believe it! Live it!

Written by Sanet Deysel

For more inspiration, read our daily devotional, The Word for Today or listen to our podcasts in iono.fm.

The views expressed herein are that of the presenters and not Radio Pulpit.