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!
You are such an awesome angel of God for bringing this to those of us who so many times feel that we are not good enough in anything we so desperately try to do. I get so drained by giving, giving and giving some more that I don’t even know who I am anymore. But you have reminded me to stay close and listen to God and he will direct my paths. Many Blessings!!
I would be so honored to win this gift. I am also amazed at how just at the right time God knows just what we need and when, I should not be because He is awesome and powerful, but It still awes me… HE IS GOOD ALL THE TIME>
A new employe has been having difficulties and like me relies on God’s Grace to guide, lift and walk with us.
I found this to be exactly what “we” need to remember when we feel we are trying so much yet feeling “less” than others expectations. Thank you.
Wow!!! This meassage is exactly what i needed this morning in all areas of my life. At times i find all of my attetion on one area of my life and my BEST has slacked in other areas. To help with this i pray for this alot. Stay grounded in God’s Word daily. Keep my self accountable. God is the only one who knows what my BEST is. I dont truly know what my BEST is until to try. Thanks ladies
what a daily struggle i have trying to please everyone. As secretary of my church, i try to make everyone happy wearing myself to a thin frazzle only to realize i cannot do it. it’s a great privilege to serve my church family but. during difficult days of struggle between church members i find myself getting caught in the cross fires and feel anxious, defeated, discouraged and ineffective for the Kingdom. As i try to minister to women in my life these struggles i keep hidden deep inside are only chains tightened by the enemy to keep from maybe helping someone else who may be struggling in similar ways. I have both of these amazing books, but there is one particular friend in my life who desperately could use these. What a great gift it would be for her. love you and your ministry. it’s been a huge help in my walk. 🙂
“Been there; done that; got the t-shirt” as they say. Knowing I let someone down despite my best efforts was a tough confession to make. I, too, have always been harder on myself than others, but this time I knew I had really screwed up. I had hoped for understanding; a little compassion, but instead was reminded that I had failed…at least in the eyes of man. The Lord knew I did what I thought was best. I was wrong, I admitted it, and took responsibility. Still the thought haunts me at times…it’s just the Evil One trying to make me lose faith, but I know, too, that “when I am weak, I am strong” because the Lord is with me…holding me up, carrying me when necessary, and always, always, always there to love me. For that, I am so grateful. Love and blessings to all.
I am blessed every time I read your devotions. Seems to always be what I need. Thank you for using your beautiful gift of writing to bless and encourage others!
I tend to be so much harder on myself than on others. People’s unrealistic expectations of me can leave me beating myself up.Feelings of not being good enough is Satan’s playground for me as well.
This is just what I needed to hear this morning. All week I’ve been running on empty setting things up for my son to get back in school after HE was the one who made a poor choice. I had to trust no matter what happened I had to trust God and pray. Ultimately, its my son who has free will to choose his path, and I trust God Agapes him more than I ever could! I felt like I was carrying the world on my shoulders and my son was never grateful. He always wants money etc. Today he asked again and I after husband said no because he is not budgeting his money. Told him no. He said he wouldn’t go to a drs appointment I just set up for after school today to get him back on important medications. This was very hard for me to do as I have boundary issues and I felt bad but I know it was my best yes as he needs to be more responsible. If I keep rescuing him he is only going to keep taking from me emotionally, spiritually, and physically ( I have a chronic illness that flares up with stress). So thank you for this post via my email, God Bless you!!
I have struggled with the feelings of not being good enough for ever. This was an awesome message. I now cling to “My best is good enough for God even if it is not good enough for others!” Thank YOU!!
I tend to lose site of this often. God is the only one that matters and not others and what they think. Beautiful devotion to help stay on the right path that God has for you. Thank you for sharing! Love your work!
Thank God I’m not the only one who has these kind of days; these kind of feelings.
More times than not lately I have felt so worthless. On the job, at home, socializing and yes, even in church. I just feel like every time I open my mouth, the wrong things flow out—I never seem to say the right things. I never seem to DO the right things. Even things I may feel good about, someone else comes along and makes me feel bad about it. Never the right things by other peoples standards. I put so much time and effort into everything; and it is never good enough. These are the days I really have to seek God. I have to be in His Word. I have to constantly be in prayer. Thank you so much for this devotion. It hit real close to my heart.
Beautiful writing of a beautiful truth: Ian not a failure just because I sometimes fail. I’m approaching 2 years at my new company and sometimes I still feel like I should have done more or handled more even though I know I’m doing my best. Your list of what to work through is so valuable, thank you!
I am currently finding my way back to God after a 14 year hiatus. I am also the single mother of 2 beautiful young ladies, age 8 and 15. I feel like I am constantly in a battle with my 15 year old and that I am never good enough. I have been really working on my relationship with God and sometimes I feel like I fall short of him too! I am thankful that I was raised in a good Christian home where even now after so long of not talking to God, I can still hear him in my heart. Whenever these thoughts try to invade my head, I pray pray pray!
Dearest Renee, your devotional this morning is very beautiful, uplifting, and most certainly gives me a new view. I’ve been through so much, as I feel most of us have, but have so much faith that God’s a plan. One that we can not see, so I keep walking trusting fully in Him.
Ah, yes…trying to come to terms with criticism that too often develops into self criticism.
As a HIGH SCHOOL teacher I put on the board at the beginning of the year…”Your Best is Good Enough” and then when a project didn’t meet the standards or looked surprisingly like a total failure, that is the only question I would ask (though with much observation I already knew) “did you do your best?
I judged accordingly….and so does the Lord….! It’s in Him I find my peace or my conviction and I go from there. Jean
This devotion was so timely for me. I am a people pleaser and my thoughts can run wild when I think about what others may think of me. I want to be approved by others. Your devotion was a great reminder of God’s promises for me. I am approved by God and that’s what matters. Thank you!!
I have, too often, let the evil one swoop in and take my thoughts to those places where we wallow – “my project didn’t come out as I planned, I’m no good at this…”
I am blessed to be surrounded by a core of believers at work…and they help me out of that pit. PLUS, when they’re in that same pit, I can witness to them.
I needed to be reminded of this today.
Loved this devotion, Renee! I love that the answer to all of life’s troubles is to delve into the Word of God and seek Gods truth. I only wish I could remember this when I am in these kinds of situations! I am getting better at remembering who I am, a totally, unconditionally loved, imperfect child of the one true God and that alone gives great comfort and peace!
I thought, when I read your post Renee, “Boy she nailed me!” I often have that thought that I have failed someone. Maybe I could not do what they asked, or did and did not do as well as I wanted to. And with God-I fall so short of His standards sometimes, that it could be tempting to throw in the towel. Stepping back, I realize I am not Super Christian. I am human. And God loves me-goofs and all. He even wants us to run to Him when we get ruffled, and worn out, and just have not done perfect. He knows. He just wants us to tell Him so He can comfort us, and heal us, and make us better for the next time. Resting in Him is so strengthening! Reading His promises, I know that they are for me! And He has said He will never leave us. That said some time to lick my wounds can be in order, as long as I let God heal them.
Awesome Lord, let the words I write here reflect your thoughts in my heart and my own ideas…..yes, Lord, I try to work with you when helping and/or dealing with other folks. But I do realize sometimes I miss someone, and I even miss my own thoughts and feelings. I value devotionals, various books on faith, and the Bible. You are so close to my heart and I love you dearly.
Let me go about each day in the way you wish for me Lord, and that I get my appointmentsa done with “Praise to you!_
Awesome, Lord, I thank you for all that happens, and all that needs to be worked on…I smile Lord, as I PRAISE your name.
What an amazing devotional!! Growing up, I never was able to do anything good enough. I was never a good enough sister, despite me practically raising my siblings. I was never a good enough daughter, despite me always showing grace, love, and respect to my parents when others thought I was crazy to do so with how I was treated by them. I was saved in an unsaved home in high school which added a whole other realm of just me being the “weird” one. Now as a wife, and mother of two, I am faced daily with this mindset of “I’m not good enough.” Satan constantly feeds me lies of “I’m not a good enough wife,” “I can’t meet the needs of both my kids at the same time.” The enemy continues to use the wounds of my past to try and defeat me today. Thankfully by the Lord’s never ending grace, I don’t have to be perfect!! I will never be! This devotional so spoke spoke to me today. I would LOVE to win this bundle, as it would be an amazing tool for me to find freedom in knowing that my best IS good enough!
Everyday when I wake and pray God it is a new day and I know your Grace is renewed. Guide me to do your will. As a single mom lord give me what I need to make it through the day. Then I read devotionals. Not a day pass that the devotional doesn’t speak to me in what I wanted to say but didn’t. And there are days I don’t get to my devotionals. Cause I hit the snooze one to many times or oh no there is a load of wash in didn’t move to the dryer. Or getting kids here and there dishes are waiting and I do them. That is when messages I am to hear come stronger in different ways. Post on Facebook, email from a friend, title of a devotional jumps at me in my email, song on the radio.
Being mom and dad to 3 kids (ages 9, 11, and 16) wears you out before you start the day. Do they have this remind them that. Last min mom I wanted to pack lunch today.
Rushing to get to school and work on time. Then home to start the evening rush, homework, supper, practices, housework, laundry. Mom you said you would get milk today.
Mom sits and cries. Lord help!!!
I wish that is what I always did. Yeah I sit and cry. How did things get like this. Why won’t the kids help. Can’t keep going. Yells at kids to do homework.
Then I remember others have these issues my seem harder cause I am alone. But God is right there to walk me through.
I am dealing with many behavior issues and have a teen heading down the very bad path. A teen that has learned all the triggers of the things her dad did to me when we were married. So most of the time my day isn’t like above. It is like that plus that teen who is struggling and won’t let me help. A teen who several times a day finds ways to make my day even harder. Giving me days on the weekends when the kids are with their dad I just want to stay in bed all day just because it is quiet or sleep because the last two weeks only had half the amount of sleep I should have.
But each day I sit and give each kid 5 mins or more to tell me things. To show I love you.
There are days my friends get texts, emails or phone calls from me crying in return I get encouragement and love.
The love from friends is great but the love from God is the full filling love!
So many times we use the wrong measuring stick to measure our value. We are precious and loved by the one true Lord. We will stumble and fall but He is faithful and just to forgive if we ask. Satan will attack us by using others and our weaknesses but the Lord is there by our side.
I am working on not “fearing” people but having the appropriate response. My God created me and loves me and I will mess up. But, I do not want to fear so that I am afraid to try things. So, when I mess up, I need to be okay with it, work harder the next time!!
It’s an awful feeling, to do all we can do and still feel we are not doing enough. I try to remember this verse:
Galatians 1:10 New International Version (NIV)
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
For a long time I allowed what others thought of me to control my days (and nights). My every move was under a microscope. I’m a single mother with a very active child, so I make every effort to still make time for me. Most days while he is at football practice, I use the time to run a couple of miles, just to relax myself. I prepare meals at 4am, so that we can still have dinner at home at the end of the day. Some days my son’s activities are so that my exercise is what I refer to as “cross-country” driving. Recently, I decided I didn’t want to run during practice, I just wanted to sit. Another parent approached me and made the comment, that I didn’t have my “S” cape strapped on that day. And it wasn’t so much of what was said, as much as it was the tone in the message. I had no idea my taking time for myself was an issue for others. Initially I felt defensive because I didn’t feel like I should have to explain myself for taking a day off from my routine.
It took a few seconds and a quick prayer to realize that it was okay for me to rest my body and I didn’t have to justify my rest to anyone. God knew I needed the rest and He approved the time off.
I simply smiled and responded, “I had to wash it [my cape]”.
When I feel my best isn’t good enough and I had big obstacles going on at the same time, I have to remind myself that God does know how hard I tried to complete the task at hand. Perfection isn’t obtainable but I have to remind myself that sometimes trying my best has to be good enough sometimes.
Thank you for addressing this topic of not feeling good enough. Your work-related example hit home for me. As a young, recently married professional working in a field I didn’t study in school, I labor so hard and yet things still fall through the cracks. I can relate to doing my best only to discover it wasn’t good enough… At work and at home. It is hard to have grace for myself and remember I am still learning. Your strategies to approach the situation with truth and courage, and maintain your identity apart from your failures are an encouragement to me!
Thank you for this post today. It was much needed encouragement.
Doubt or you have to do more and be better in order to be first or the best or make something of yourself. But with struggles or live events, God has shown me that His will and His presence and peace is what is worthwhile in my life. That I need to look to God for the assurance and not people for everyday living and then: All things work together for good…… I know that what I do, to my best is good enough.
I often feel like my best just is not good enough. It is so know good to have that assurance that in God’s eyes I am good enough. And that is what ultimately matters most, God’s thoughts. Amen.
I was contemplating this morning, not the ways in which I let the world’s judgements get to me, but the ways in which I let Christian ones. I had five minutes, between arriving at work and needing to be at my desk. I had packed lunches for a Kindergartener, a husband, myself, gotten office ready, I had read my devotional in the car and now I had five minutes to spare. Was five minutes really enough for prayer? Was I giving God the dregs? Was I not spending enough time in prayer? Should I just go to work and wait for prayer until I had more time to devote? And there whispers the devil, five minutes isn’t ideal, but five minutes of nothing is a victory for Satan, five minutes in prayer is a Holy victory. “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.”And man! You can pray over a lot in five minutes, I’m about ready to change the world now! http://smallwordsbiggod.blogspot.com/2014/10/day-237-five-minutes.html
I am learning to say no to things and it isn’t easy because I want to but I truly don’t have the time to and it would cause a sacrifice in something else, such as family and schooling. But I do know it would not have been my best yes. I pray for others to step up and make their best yeses.
I’m a very big volunteer but I volunteer for the wrong reasons. I do it because I want please people so they will like me. Sometimes by stepping out I’ve made a mess of things. I have a friend that won’t do anything until she’s prayed about it first. Sometimes you have to make a quick decision but the best way is to pray and wait for the Lord to say go. I remember in the bible where Saul was supposed to wait for Samuel and he didn’t. It would have been a short wait but he suffered for that decision. I get so hyper and emotional inside that my mouth is saying yes before the idea even gets to my brain. I’m doing a study now about saying yes and no at the right time. I’m learning that it’s okay to say no and when you do say yes it will be the best yes. Thanks for your devotion today.
Thank you for sharing these thoughts, Rene. Wow! I need this right now, as I am starting a new job, at the ripe young age of nearly 58. 🙂 There will likely be opportunities for my thinking negatively about myself and my abilities. God’s Truth is that upon which I need to focus! God continue to bless you richly!
It is refreshing to hear this. I have always strived to please my parents, but recently the Lord has opened my eyes that the person I need to be pleasing is Him(my parents truly are unpleaseable). Thank you for your uplifting words of encouragement!!!!
Thank you for your encouragement and reminder that I really need to keep my eyes focused and fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith ……very timely as I head off to a specialist appointment with Jesus accompanying me .
I know that he is nearer than my very next breath, and I’m thankful for that……and no matter what He Will see me through this ……..
I so totally agree with your post this morning. Feelings of not being good enough is Satan’s playground for me as well. When feeling attacked I go to God’s word for what is true and my verses are found in Ps 1- ” I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction,out of the miry bog,and set my feet upon a rock,making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth,a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.”
Year’s ago God did put a NEW Song in my heart and when I feel like I am not enough I remember what He did for me and that I am a new creation. I need to learn from mistakes but not wear them.
Thank you for you thoughts this morning and more truth from God’s Word to stand on.
Blessings to you and on your day!
As a assistant manager in my place of business and leadership not one of my strengths I feel very defeated when let things fall through the cracks. I know I have to draw on strength from Jesus. He gave me this job and He has promoted me and blessed me in it. I pray for His wisdom daily and let Him work through me, I just need to quit getting in the way.
I’ve always struggled with feeling like my best was not enough. Other people would remind me of my accomplishments but for some reason I allowed the enemy to cloud my mind. I didnt believe it! It took some soul searching and the death of my father whom I love more than life to show me that I am exactly what god says I am. My dad use to say Tara you have to believe that you are and I never understood until recently. I might have made mistakes but God still loves me and I will always be his child. I should look to him and and keep my eyes and ears focus on what he says and not what man thinks.
Thank you for a great devotional! I have always battled the lies of Satan that I am not good enough. My best was never good enough for my parents. God has blessed me with being bright and talented, yet there were other challenges that always got in the way of seeing those gifts fully realized. It has been a long journey to learn that God DOES love me where I am at. He has given me the challenges so that I would rely on Him instead of my strengths. All the other gifted people in my family have no need for God. They live like they are good enough, yet I know emotionally they don’t feel that way. I am learning to be like Paul and boast about my weaknesses, because God fills in the gaps, and does a far better job at it than I would in my strengths!
What I appreciated the most about your post was the practical of making the three lists to get a clear picture of truth.
Thanks!
Need to always ask God for his best in us. We need to be his light to others.
Hi Renee,
You always seem to post what is on *my* heart. Your devotional is what I needed to ‘hear’. I feel I let people down. I asked for help in the way of yarn to be donated whether the yarn itself or the funds to get 3 huge balls of yarn in which I would knit washcloths to go in hygiene kits for Days for Girls international. I set the self-imposed goal of 12 washcloths a month and was hoping to do this for a year, but I found halfway through that I had not estimated the amount of time it would take me to make one (6-8hrs per washcloth). In the end, the deadline came (Sept.30) and I had not met my goal. I had 9 washcloths completed and a 10th in the works. I felt so awful about not being able to follow through on what I said I’d do. Someone even told me that I did well and I believed them for a second, but it was your devotional this morning that makes me feel better in my heart, not just words for my mind but a balm for my heart.
I have to readjust my goal now and with the words of your devotional it won’t hurt, make me feel guilty, bad, less than, etc. I am still ok. 🙂
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Sabrina/Mippy 🙂
I suffer from a couple chronic illnesses that are invisible most of the time to others, so there are many times I do what I can and others want me to do more because I don’t look sick to them. It’s at those times I need to go to my Heavenly Father thanking Him for my life, my abilities and even my disabilities, then I’m able to remove the guilty feelings about not doing more and not get frustrated with those that do expect more from me. God created me and I’m just the way He wants me to be, limitations and all.
Thank you Renee for sharing this today. So many times I have had that horrible feeling over come me. Thankfully I have learned to put it in Our Dear Lord’s hands. Blessings to you and thanks, Barb Wall
Oh Renee I have disappointed my husband his entire family and even my own family and friends by my words and actions that up to this day some are still talking about it and the guilt I feel overflows in me especially when I have to depend on my mother in law to be here for me because I am scheduled to have surgery to remove my left ovary left tube large complex cysts, cervix and endometriosis. My ca blood level is high and they are concerned about that too. I had already had a partial hysterectomy in 2008 now I have to go through this I honestly feel fine but my gyn said I need to have this removed because it keeps recurring and I have to have Open surgery. I am scared because I m new in the area and I had to see a specialist and I am not so comfortable with the doctor with the way my paperwork is being handled but he cones highly recommended by my gyn and a co worker of mine. I am going to a hospital closer to my home. Surgery is scheduled for 10/21. I know I need to put my TRUST in GOD fully I have head knowledge and not heart felt. I just started to go Wednesday nights to church meeting with a group of people from church but its hard for me to open up with them for some reason, maybe I am paranoid and I know I have a trust issue with people in general.
PLEASE PRAY FOR ME. I know others are going through worst situations than me too .thank you.
Being a ministers wife I feel an enormous pressure to give my best to honor my husband and the church. I also work full time and having the demands from both areas so heavily weighing on you the devil attacks in all directions to remind me my best is always going to fall short. I struggle with remembering trying is all God asks us to do, and if we succeed it is due to Him not us. I think remember that our best is not typically going to be good enough for the world will can remember it will always be good enough for God.
Even as I begin to type my thoughts, tears flow from my eyes. Your blog reminded me of an area to do with my old nature/flesh that I thought I was finished with forever. I always struggled with worry that I let others down or hurt someone (even if it was unintentional). I was in a Bible Study group where I’d been asked to be back up to the facilitator. Thankfully, that day, I’d come prepared and really quite full of excitement about the topic. But I was well aware that I needed to stay calm and not say too much in all my enthusiasm in order to give the others an opportunity to express themselves. I tried and I think I did okay overall, though there were times where I maybe said too much. In one of those moments I even reached over and touched my neighbor reminding her that what she and her neighbor were discussing alone could wait until later. Today she called me on the phone and wondered when I became the leader and that this had been quite insensitive. whew! I really had to work hard to separate all the facts from the emotions on this one. But by God’s grace, I’m working through it and I have courage to face the group next week even though I was contemplating skipping. God comforts and reminds me that I am just the way He made me and He will walk with me through all of my learning.