I was completely blindsided. I’d been called into a meeting at my church with another women in leadership who was upset with me. She’d been upset with me for months, but I had just found out about it.
Someone had told her I didn’t agree with the way she was leading. But that wasn’t at all what I’d said – months before – in a meeting with several other leaders. I had simply been asked my opinion about a situation and I shared my thoughts and they weren’t directly about her at all. And I was so sad that I was just being asked about it, several months later.
I was hurt. She was hurt. We both volunteered countless hours in ministry, pouring our hearts and our lives into women in our church. All the while, we were on the same team and assumed we both fully supported one another. But now the trust we had built for years was coming unraveled.
It was a mess. I was a mess.
I was done. I decided I wasn’t strong enough. Wasn’t resilient enough. And I was exhausted from trying.
That afternoon I went home and cried. Told God I was ready to call it quits. Laying my head down on my desk, I said I couldn’t do it anymore.
But… {my heart whispered} there was more to it… “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
I knew in that moment if I was willing to die to myself and completely rely on Christ in Me I could experience resurrection power.
I could walk away from God’s calling on my life or I could allow Jesus to live HIS life through me.
I could die to my desire to protect myself from getting hurt again and choose to tap into His power by relying on the strength of His Spirit in me .
I wasn’t enough … wasn’t strong enough, resilient enough, or humble enough. But Christ in me was more than enough.
In my P31 devotion today, I talked about how we can turn away from our feelings of defeat and doubt by living in the Light of God’s Truth. And here is one of the most important truths:
Jesus did not die on the cross just to get us out of hell and into heaven. He died on the cross to get Himself out of heaven and into us! That is resurrection life – and the very place where we get our enough!
If you have been crucified with Christ, you no longer live, but Christ lives in you!! The life you now live in the body, you can choose to live by faith in the Son of God, who loved you and gave himself for you.”
When you feel inadequate, remember God says: You are CHOSEN.
“‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the Lord, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he’” (Isa. 43:10).
When you feel afraid, remember God says: You are REDEEMED.
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine” (Isa. 43:1).
When you feel unloved, God says: You are LOVED.
“You are precious and honored in my sight, and . . . I love you” (Isa. 43:4).
When you feel forgotten, God says: You are REMEMBERED.
“See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isa. 49:16).
When you feel insecure, God says: You are SECURE.
“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders” (Deut. 33:12).
When you feel unable or unstable, God says: You are ABLE.
“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights” (Hab. 3:19).
When you feel worthless, God says: You are CALLED.
“Youare a chosen [woman], a royal [priest], a holy [daughter], God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Pet. 2:9).
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Thank you for this post. It is perfectly timed for a breaking point in my life. Perfect encouraging words to not allow myself to fall into condemnation but to be convicted and walk forward in gods truth. Thank you for your willingness to share your life.
It seems like I have been fighting things or feelings this whole year….I needed to read this post today to know the truth….that I am HIS daughter and that I’m loved. Thank you for your ministry and being here today when I needed you in a big way. (You are being used….in a good way…through Christ).
I was sitting here praying during my morning quiet time feeling so overwhelmed and ready to quit in relation to some real disappointments and related stress at work. I had just prayed and asked the Lord to send me a word that was solid and very concrete, so I could feel a solid and concrete encouragement. I stepped away from my devotional chair to get a cup of coffee and my phone beeped to let me know I had a new message. I thought, “Maybe it is the Lord,” and it was! He answered my prayer by allowing this message from HIM THROUGH YOU to arrive at the VERY moment I most needed it. Our God is SO awesome!
It saddens me that we have allowed the devil to permeate our thoughts about ourselves to the point that we think so little of ourselves. BUT it delights me that God sent his son for US! and that we can overcome all the things the world throws at us because HE LIVES!! Thank you for reminding me of his overwhelming love for us.
Thank you for being so open to share your heart. I feel blessed every time I read the devotionals. I really needed to hear that I matter to God and the reminder that I am God’s daughter and he wants to live through me. I need to be more of Him and less of me.
As a single mom to 4 small kids, I’ve been struggling with so much inadequacy. When I read your email this morning, it was such a reassurance from God that I am never alone. Thank you for allowing God to speak through you. 🙂
All I can really say is Thank-you. Thank you for trusting the Lord and not quitting, for the example of triumph you set before us. Thank you for those “apples of gold” scriptures, and for the way you so beautifully shared. Teaching us how to trade in our thoughts for the wonderful Truths of God’s words. They instill the hope that we need. And thank you for this wonderful giveaway!
Thank you for a much needed devotion and a wonderful list of verses to keep handy when my lack of confidence wants to creep up, but God is urging me to take the thought captive before it (the thought) takes over.
My most profound insecurity is if I am a good enough mother to my four kids. My youngest is son is living with Autism, and that causes most thoughts of inadequacy. Am I doing enough? Why did God feel that I was strong enough to handle the tantrums, the constant battle for him to toilet train, the teachers, the therapist, and the lack of money for treatments that could work. Are my other children getting enough attention from me? I am a stay at home mom, and that is a job, a career, that rarely gets slaps on the back or high fives for cooking, cleaning, transporting, helping with projects, etc. Being at home, I serve my family better, but money is always tight, and I’m plenty bored, though the work is there. With having my fourth child, I now have issues with my weight, how my body looks. I wonder if I am an adequate wife. Today’s devotion was spot on, and it helped me a lot. I love it when the devotion was written almost specifically for you. This blessed me. Thank you.
Hi Kaysha,
Thank you for choosing to stay home with your kiddos. You are exactly what they need. I applaud you for all you are doing and if we were friends I would give you a big ole hug!
Blessings to you,
Melissa
This was very timely for me as I am facing a similar situation through work where someone said a bunch of untruths and half-truths to someone else about me. And neither the people who said these things or the person who heard it came directly to me to ask. But in my job it’s my role to model healthy relationships. So even though I am hurt and angry and want to quit, I have to find a way to put those feelings aside and talk about what happened and how to go forward from here. I know that I cannot do this on my own strength and with my own words & will have to rely on God’s strength and God’s grace to get me through. It is always a blessing when someone else shares how they got through as well.
Thank you!
I must die to my desire to protect myself from getting hurt again. I must choose to tap into His power by relying on the strength of His Spirit in me. That is exactly what I must do. Thank you, Renee! Thank you, Jesus!
Blessings All!
This morning, after being convicted of holding tightly, once again. to rotten thoughts and lies from the enemy, I was overwhelmed, once again, at the number of scripture that speak to God’s great love, care, provision, desire for us, for me. Thank you for reminding us, reminding me, of our Father’s great love.
Sheeese! where to start…. I was rolling around my house talking with God asking Him to help me to let go of some potentially horrific scenarios should they be played out like the incessant dramas imagined in my mind (re: a few people’s situations dearly connected to my life) and just really trying not to beat myself up but to truly believe what He was saying to me “Perfect love casts out fear” But Lord, if only I had of trusted you 24 years ago…. “Oh ye of little faith” If only…I knew that I was truly hearing from you and not imagining that I was talking with you “Do not fear, for I shall be with you in the flood” If only, I were a better Mom, wife, homemaker, Grandmother…a neater person, if I could only…If only, I would get to church more consistently……if only, if only, if only….. THEN I thought to myself let me go read Encouragement For Today, before I go nuts!!! Maybe God would confirm His love for me and let me know (again) that He has everything under control! And with tears in my eyes, I just started to melt into a smile as my heart began to take courage once again! Thank you for sharing Renee I really needed this today!!!! Irene McColl
Thank you, Renee. Your words were exactly what my heart needed at 3 in the morning. 🙂
Thank you for your energy, faith and sharing heart.
Thank you for sharing everyday with all of us that think that our issues are only ours. Thank u for all of your wonderful words and the encouragement
I found this through Proverbs 31 Ministries, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. All I ever do is doubt myself and see myself as unworthy in the eyes of God and everyone else around me. I would love to have a copy of the book so I can learn more about how to overcome those doubts that trouble me so much.
Renee, your devotions continue to be water for my soul and I would LOVE to receive your book! Thank you for always pointing us to the Light and sharing your heart and gift!
Thank you for sharing your devotion. Its exactly what I needed. GOD-FIDENCE 🙂
Within the past month, more so than ever before, I’ve felt so inadequate. The ironic part is that things in life are going well, but I have so much self doubt. I just don’t ever feel good enough. Most devotions I read sound good and nice and helpful for others but your post and devotions was definately placed for me. God is definately using you to minister to me. Thank you so much for reminding me that God is always my light just as everything else he made is perfect in his eyes, so am I. 🙂 thank you for blessing me today
I want to thank you for your article on self-doubt. I am constantly guilty of that, and you helped me to realize that I am also hurting God when I doubt, not just myself. I’ll be praying for more self control so I can have God-fidence!! Keep up the great work! Thanks again!!
i really enjoy your blog Renee! Its always so uplifting!