Pocket Theology / Reflections of the Lord's Prisoner

Why do I never quite feel good enough? Even when I think I am doing everything I can, I still come up short… Is there something wrong with me, or have I been deceived into thinking I could ever hope to achieve more than I really am?

Questions and thoughts like these plague my mind. In part because I have aspirations for my life. But also because I know that, more often than not, I fall short of where I know I could have done more. This leads to over compensating in other areas so that I at least can receive some form of accolade in life. The real question that I have to wrestle with is, do I work hard because I am a hard worker, or because I want to prove that I am worthy of value?

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NASB95). While I may try to address the symptoms of my self-worth through various coping mechanisms, what I need to remember is that my efforts, no matter how admirable, have no lasting impact apart from Christ working through me. This is a breath of fresh air to the person who often forgets that their value is not limited to what they bring to the table. Don’t get me wrong, good work ethic is important, but how encouraging it is to know that the Creator and Sustainer of the universe is the one who empowers me to do so (Heb. 1:3).

Perhaps you have heard the saying, “When Christ is all that I have, I have all that I need.” This simple statement is such a needed reminder for many who struggle with feelings of inadequacy. And the wonderful truth is that you do nothing to earn Christ. He has made Himself available to all by His death and resurrection. If you are to do anything, all it need be is that you rest in the security of Christ’s salvation. Even better than the promise of a relationship with Christ, we also have the guarantee of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling at the moment of salvation.

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

John 7:37–39

What then, does it take for a person to be good enough? It is not achievements or hard work; many have tried by these methods and still come up short. Not even having a lot of people that like you is enough to permanently dispel feelings of inadequacy. Maybe one or more of these things and things like them can ease symptoms for a time, but none are sufficient enough to be a cure. The answer is that apart from Christ, there is nothing that will ever provide us a sense of contentment. Even in Christ, contentment only comes when we remember that Christ is my life, my everything. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Paul would go onto clarify that he has no problem with death because he will be with His Lord, but if it is God’s will that he remain, he will do so to the glory of God. May this be the goal of all our lives.

How does one become good enough then? As already mentioned above, it is not in us, but Christ alone that we find our value, particularly in the doctrine of justification. When a person comes to salvation, the theological way of describing their stance in eternity is to say that they have been justified. The term justification does not imply that a person has never sinned; rather, it is a legal declaration of their innocence because their sin debt was paid by Christ on the cross (Rom. 6:23). God’s forgiveness was the removal of their sin and justification is the addition of divine righteousness to their life. They can then be at peace with God and in fellowship via the Holy Spirit through Christ (Rom. 5:1). A person’s justification only comes by faith in Christ. Then, through their spiritual death to sin (accomplished through Christ’s death on the cross), the Holy Spirit comes to live in them (Gal. 2:16, 20).

So what can be done about those feelings that linger in the back of my mind? I can find freedom, peace, and fulfillment by reminding myself that while I was yet not good enough, Christ, who is the greatest good, took all my ungoodness and laid it on Himself as He went to the cross (Rom. 5:8). Then, on the third day He rose and later ascended back to His seat at the right hand of the Father where He rules and reigns. Not only that, but this same Jesus who knows more about me that I ever will myself, speaks to God the Father on my behalf as a mediator (Heb. 8:1–6). When it comes to feeling as though I am not good enough, I need to remind myself that I am exactly right, but thank goodness for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who stepped in and took my place…

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Romans 5:6–11