Have you ever gotten that awful pit-in-your-stomach feeling after finding out you let someone down?
It felt like the wind had been knocked out of me as I read through an email from a client, sent to my manager and forwarded to me, describing how I had let some details fall through the cracks on a project.
A horrible sense of discouragement and embarrassment moved in for the kill.
In the past, I would have welcomed my uninvited critical thoughts to stay a while, resigned to the fact that I must be unable to do anything right!
But not this time; too many hurtful experiences had taught me to recognize failure as an opportune time for my opponent, the devil, to devour me with feelings of inadequacy and shame. This enemy is bent on making me believe that when my best isn’t good enough, I’m not good enough.
Fortunately, times of pain have also included hours of poring over God’s promises, gathering wisdom to deal with this unwelcome intruder. I have learned to be alert to the devil’s schemes and ready to stand against them. In 1 Peter 5:8-9, Peter tells us how:
“Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour. Be firm in the faith and resist him, knowing that other believers throughout the world are going through the same kind of suffering” (1 Peter 5:8-9).
After reading the email and letting my thoughts run wild for a few minutes, I knew I had to clear my mind. I asked the Holy Spirit to help me un-clutter my thoughts with the clarity of truth from logistical, circumstantial and spiritual points of view….
Read the rest of this story and what happened in my Encouragement for Today on the Proverbs 31 Ministries blog. But BEFORE YOU go…
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Happy Fall Ya’ll!
it’s often hard to separate what I do from who I am. thanks for the reminder.
Our Lord is an awesome God! Where I am weak He is strong and successful. As I grow older, I have come
to the realization that when I fail, fall or feel useless it truly is an opportunity for me to seek for His presence. He is always willing to show us the way, comfort and heal us so that we may continue to walk with Him. We must take time to read His Word and take hold of all of His promises found within the Word. My flesh might cause me to weakened but with the help of the Holy Spirit and truly knowing our Father, I am strong. God Bless.
Thank you for sharing. So good. Spoke directly to my heart. This has been a particularly hard week and I have felt I like I have been carting this burden around for far to long. Thank you again.
I needed to hear this today. Shame is a daily battle I often forfeit. Thank you for this truth!
Oh my! I knew as soon as I opened my P31 devotional email that this was going to hit home…the verse was one that our Pastor preached on just a few days ago! And, boy, was I right! I am so hard on myself, and take everything so personally & critically. I have really been struggling with feelings of discouragement, hurt, anger, and even a hardened heart, because I feel so often like I don’t “measure up” in the eyes of my husband. I am struggling to change this way of thinking, because I fear for the state of our marriage if I don’t, but it is oh-so-hard. I need to start posting scripture verses wherever I will see them, to remind myself of my value in my Father’s eyes, and to stop letting the devil take over so much of my thinking! Thank you for this!
I am also prone to beat myself up and talk to myself in ways that I would never allow anyone to talk to someone I love. What a great reminder that those hurtful and mean words are lies from the father of lies himself! After I read your blog post, I wrote down Psalm 73:26 “My flesh & my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and portion.” How amazing that our God loves us so much that He will fill the gaps and forgive our mistakes. Praise Jesus for His sacrificial love and overwhelming grace!
Liked your post.
There are many days I feel like a failure and will allow the Enemy to convince me I’ll never be good enough… one thing, however small, can take me to that place of not measuring up. Then I’m gently reminded of the Truth and that one bad moment doesn’t make me a bad mom and that trying my best is good enough. As long as I seek God for strength and wisdom and try my best, then that’s okay.
Good Morning! What a beautiful way to start my morning, your kind words shining brightly to my heart and mind! This comes to me at a great time, Satan lurking in my weaknesses, trying to bring me down! :Stop., get behind me Satan.” Thank you for letting your love of God come through our email boxes and this blog! (the bundle pack would be nifty!)
Hello Everyone,
God’s timing couldn’t have been more Perfect! Three weeks ago my husband and I had a HUGE blowout. We do not have an easy marriage but things had been running there course and “all was quiet on the western front” . The argument led to sleeping alone and feelings of “what have I done?” FAILURE had made its way into my heart. Being a woman who already is plagued with low self esteem I recognized “it” all to well. Failure as a wife, mother, and woman of GOD. I have known the LORD for 21 years and in a single moment I felt like everything I had done was gone. The last three weeks have been an emotional roller-coaster for me filled with self doubt and remorse.
Today, as I read the devotional ( which I do not do everyday mind you 🙂 ) I realized what I had done. I had allowed the enemy to rob me and have a field day with me for three whole weeks. UGH!!! ” And I have know my LORD, How long???
I did the process that Renee had suggested. Admitting the truth to yourself about yourself is not the easiest thing to do, especially when it agrees with our spouses 🙂 I realized that I had to come to terms with how easily angered i get, that I can be complacent, and well here goes, I have disrespected my husband. Ouch! YUP! i did those things over the years and it finally came to a head.
I did have a conversation with my dear Pastor, because this situation was eating me up inside. The light he shed aligned with what Renee expressed in today’s devotional. He stated that when “we” are attacked verbally and horrible things are spoken in anger the reason they still sting is because there is still “some” truth in those words. This was the hurt and failure I was feeling. The part that I had forgotten, was that “we” are “new” creations in Christ Jesus and that we are no longer those things but made new and I am a work in progress. Renee’s process of noting the logistical, circumstantial, and spiritual truths was the piece of the puzzle I needed to put this downward slope behind me.
Thank you for your ministry……I am going to go humble myself before my LORD now, and basque in HIS amazing love and grace for me and remember who I really am…..HIS.
This is so powerful to remember. I am great at taking negative comments and reducing myself to the smallest size! I often forget to look to Lord for clarity and love in those dark moments. Thank you for blessing my day Renee!
This is such a timely Word for me! After being successful at weight loss and gaining most of the weight back, I have known for quite some time that it is time to get serious about a lifestyle change…rather than just dieting. I made the decision to return to the gym. I have been procrastinating. I would much rather return when I can do more, have lost more. I want to be able to do what I used to do…run, full hour of zumba, push ups, sit ups, etc. So many days, weeks, and months have gone by because I couldn’t bring myself to go and do less. However, I decided that today is the day. I almost talked myself out of it several times. But I kept feeling that nudge and encouragement from the Holy Spirit that I can do this. Well…I did it! And I feel great. I know now that I only need to endeavor to do my “BEST” each and every time I get on the treadmill, bicycle or whatever else equipment that calls my name each time I enter the door. Today…I did my very best (which was a little more than I anticipated). Tomorrow…yes I am making the commitment to return in the morning…I plan to do even better!
Thank you for this inspiring post. I often doubt my abilities and the enemy uses my low self-esteem to whisper lies into my mind. Every day and every moment I have to set my mind on choosing God’s truth and to not give in to my emotions.
I have started homeschooling my two children recently in obedience to God’s calling for my life. I feel like the enemy is literally on the prowl, waiting to devour me. But there is hope: encouraging words, biblical truth, a chat with a friend, a hug from my kids…These are the things I cling to, they help me to take it one day at a time to give my best for The Lord.
I am a mom with a 22 year old handicapped daughter…I can really relate with the feeling of not good enough. I do continue to turn to the Lord and He never fails me. What an Awesome God we serve. Debbie
Thank you so much for this devotional!! I needed this today.
I constantly feel as though I should hold myself to a higher standard. Challenge is what motivates me, yet also causes me to take on too much. So when others feel as though I’ve not given enough or been good enough I tend to take it too personally.
Meant to say “like” today’s devo.
Struggling with cancer 8 plus yrs. and weariness sets in some days. I want to give up on those days, but then I read something that encourages me, lime today’s devo. Thank you for it and for the chance to win this bundle.
I love how God sends me just the right words just in the right time. I struggle with such horrible depression and the enemy temps me into the darkness But then Jesus sets with me and brings me back to the light.
Wow today this really hit me where I am. I get the Proverbs 31 devotional every morning and I skim it and go on but today for some reason I took the time to really sit and read and take it in. I have lived through that and felt like i should just give up. Thank you Lord for pushing and pulling me on. What you said about evaluating logically and then admitting what happened to all and making changes gives me the courage to say I need to make changes and step back.
This Word spoke to me, thank you. I struggle at times with I had done the best I could, my best wasn’t good enough. But it didn’t mean I wasn’t good enough. It just meant I needed to make some truth-filled assessments and wisdom based adjustments! I needed this, I tend to be hardest on me. I so desire to take care of me, God’s way.
God is faithful! This devotion encouraged me to leave my burdens with Jesus. My family has been struggling with a horrific situation that involves loved ones living in a different place.
I am an older worker amongst younger people in my job. My job requires that I give speedy service to my clients. I have never been a person who is known for speed when I was younger, much less now. I pray everyday that God gives me the strength to carry on and deal with criticism on my job. I keep Phillipians 4:13 by my bedside to remind I can do all things through Christ who strenghens me and I get up early and do my devotionals everyday to give me peace and carry me throughj my day. I know what it is like to not feel good enough and feel encouraged by the blog today. May God bless you and continually help with your work and life.
I see all the pain from the comments and im ashamed of myself . My problems are so small compared the others. Jesus said ” Get the hence behind me satan” . We have power over our enemies cause Jesus said so. Thank you Renee for this inspiration and thank you commenters for showing me My situations in life are my own fault for letting the devil tell me lies….. Ill wait on the LORD ….
Angel
This devotional spoke directly to me. When I make a mistake, when I disappoint others or myself, I can spend too much time hashing and re-hashing the details and making excuses. It is SO helpful to remember that the devil is just waiting for these opportunities to get my eyes on myself and off The Lord. Thank you for the outlined plan to deal with such a circumstance.
My son has a speech disorder that requires a lot of speech therapy. Oftentimes, I feel like I’m not good enough b/c he’s not speaking at the same level as his peers. I battle the critical thoughts of feeling like I’m letting my son down on a daily basis. This is a good reminder that God will accomplish what concerns me (Psalm 138:8). Amen to that! Thanks for sharing this biblical perspective! What a source of encouragement!
God knew i needed to read this and it spoke to my current situation. I tend to overbook myself and when i crash and burn i let the enemies lies drag me down to a state of depression. I choose to believe Gods Word and speak his promises over my life. I will start making those lists to help me unclutter my mind and see the truth over the lies and make wiser decisions. Thank you for letting Jesus use you to speak life to others in your daily devotional blog.
Thank you for renee for your post today. I received your message in my inbox through Proverbs 1 ministries. It is exactly what I needed to hear and you explained it perfectly. I’m mother of six kids I just went back to work full time after being home with my babies for years. My husband is unemployed and struggling with depression . lately all I’ve known is that my best isn’t good enough and I also know that God is trying everywhere and anywhere to remind me that he loves me and I am good enough. But until reading your message today I haven’t been able to figure out how to live knowing that I’m good enough for God but my best isn’t enough to handle all that’s going on in my life. I look forward to trying your technique of listing out the three different kinds of truths and I’m confident it will help me break the cycle of listening to God until eventually I give in to feelings of inadequacy. Thank you for giving me new tools to fight the enemy today. Maybe someone can pray for me to remember those tools when I need them most.
This is definitely a devotion that women in general need to hear. I think we all tend to have moments of doubt and “not measuring up”. I can be so hard on myself when there is absolutely no need. I can do well in others’ eyes and STILL doubt myself and feel like it wasn’t enough. Why do I hold myself to such high standards when all that really matters is pleasing the Lord and remembering that I am good enough in His eyes? I don’t know, but it is something that I am working on to change, by pouring into God’s truth and really listening to Him and applying His promises to my life. Thank you so much for this great reminder.
This reading certainly gave me perspective this morning. I’m struggling to get my business going since we have moved several hundred miles away. I also had 2 emergency surgeries in May, immediately after unpacking and organizing a new home. My upline wants more from me and my energy is low. Thank you Jesus for opening my eyes to my limitations and helping me reaffirm my strength lies in You.
This message truly blessed me today. I struggle with parenting our 9 year-old son. I feel like a failure when I lose my temper with him. I pray for God to remove my shortcomings of anger and resentment, but I just keep losing it and then I feel defeated again. My husband reminds me that the devil is trying to rip our family apart. Your message confirms this, the Word confirms it. I just need to believe and keep praying. “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, as Dorie said…”
My self esteem is where Satan gets me every time. I’ve struggled with being good enough all my life. It’s about time I take back my life and giving Satan a swift kick in the rear is my first step. I want peace back in my life. I want my faith to consume me so that there’s no room for Satan to enter back in to tear me down. What an encouraging message you had today. I’m writing down all the verses, sticking them to my mirror and making it a point to memorize them all. Your words were a blessing to me. Thank you.
Thank you. I needed this reminder as my mother is the one that makes comments that I don’t measure up to her expectations. Even though I’m an adult, the devil reminds me of my shortcomings and her comments. I need to rely on God’s Word more.
This message is what i needed to hear this morning. Too often I try to put my best foot forward to please others, but yet I always feel like my best is never good enough. The enemy then starts to work in me and bring doubt and discouragement. But I thank God for being there to reassure me that I am his child, and that he loves and cares about me.
Sometime our sincere intended best is not good enough, depending on whom or what we are encountering.
Thankfully, God knows our hearts and good intentions, which gives me comfort and hope.
When we are over clouded or over whelmed, the enemy often time uses our weakness to simply devour us.
However, satan was defeated from the very beginning and is yet defeated when he comes up against God’s
children.
Truly enjoyed this devotion, how very uplifting . . . .
I feel like every morning, the Lord knows exactly what I need to read. These devotionals always hit home with me and help me to get a better look at things I might overlook if I hadn’t taken the time to read my morning devotional. I need to learn that MY best is always sufficient. I am such a people pleaser that I often fret too much over making everyone happy and being perfect for THEM, when I really need to worry about being the best me for Him.
Too often I allow the enemy to steal my joy in this area. When I fail at something – I feel like a failure. God is speaking to my heart and showing me that what I do or don’t do is not who I am. I am going to make my list and strive to let Gods words speak to me, not the enemy. With Gods help, I pray I continue to grow in this area as I know this is where God is currently pruning me. Thank you Lord for this devotion on this day, you know exactly what I need and when I need it.
This message spoke to my heart. I am a people pleaser – but often fail in my attempts. I know that my self talk needs to change, to be more encouraging and uplifting to ME – so I can be the person I want to be for myself, and to be seen differently by others.
Saw your blog for the first time today. I know God sent me here because it was just what I needed to hear today. Thank you for devoting your time and energy to sharing this blog with us. God Bless You!
I tend to be a perfectionist and constantly feel like my best isn’t good enough. I’m always struggling to meet my own standards so this is an ongoing journey for me. I have learned to continually remind myself that God loves me as I am and created me to be who I am. Thank you for sharing this. It was what I needed to hear today.
This devotional couldn’t have come at a better time. I feel I struggle with “not being good enough” on a daily bases! In all areas of my life. Thanks for reminding me that everything I do is for the glory of God and not what someone else thinks.
I’m in university and it’s so easy to get bogged down and listen to Satan’s lies of ‘not being good enough’ or ‘you’re not smart enough for this’ but it’s such a relief to know that God believes in me no matter what. He thinks I can do this.
Thank you for today’s devotional. I really needed to hear that. Sometimes I forget that others – especially us ladies of God – go through the same things I do.
no matter what age either
I liked the part that says: “my best wasn’t good enough. But it didn’t mean I wasn’t good enough.”. Thank you for that reminder. Just yesterday Satan was trying to devour me. These daily encouragements get me back on track. The Lord knew I need to hear it. God Bless!
Satan often tries to tell me that I was not good enough or I didnt try hard enough with my kids dad. But then God is there to remind me i did do the best I knew how at the time. I am so greatful for Gods reassurance that I am good enough and I am worth it.
This devotional spoke volumes to me at this time in my life. It was like it was written just for me. My plate is full. I’m trying to let go of the things I can’t control. I feel like I’ve tried my best in the situation that I’m in. But I’ve let some of the people that are closest to me down. I would love to win a copy of these books. Thank you.
I think most women feel as if we fall short on a daily basis. The question is, what do we fall short of AND more importantly, whose expectations are we trying to live up to? I know that in the midst of walking through a very difficult season in my life, God revealed to me that He is enough and that as long as I am giving life my best effort and walking in His will, then I am truly meeting the ONLY expectations the really matter.
This email spoke to me because I too have allowed failures to recriminate myself when I make mistakes especially when it affects others. I especially like the process you outlined for getting perspective.
Being a pastors wife, we are sometimes held to different standards. Thank you for the continued grounding and reminder that my Lord is always with me, even during those rough times.
I love when the Lord speaks to me through daily devotionals. Today was one of those days. I tend to hold myself to a high standard, so when I make a mistake, I feel like a failure. It was great to be reminded that my best is great in the Lord’s eyes.
I have enjoyed your devotionals, they are so encouraging. especially when I have bad days. I don’t always look to my bible for encouragement. but do read devotinals. i am so glad that our lord sees us for who we are other then what others seem to think we should be.