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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Beautiful post and a great reminder for me. Thank you!
Loved your book, and read your blog! Thank you Renee for opening your heart and sharing so freely, you have blessed my life! Blessings, Lisa Dawn ~<3~ <3<3<3
I love your devitions . They are so encouraging in my life
Thank you so much for this reminder. I have days where I am searching for my purpose and need positive thoughts. Today is one of those days. Thank you so much!
Sometimes it is not always easy to remember that God loves you, especially when you are in the pit and it feels as if there is no way out. One thing that I have learned it that even though you are in the pit, God is there with you, He never leaves you. That was one of the AhAh moments for me, and helped me a great deal. Lord Bless all of you for what you do, and the support that you give to everyone.
Love this book and everyone I’ve bought it for has loved it as well. Especially helpful in my young adult ministry. Would love to have a couple copies to share with a few more girls and be able to take them to Starbucks to talk about it.
I really love the When you feel…..You are…..reminder. I need to hear it every single day. I can never be reminded too often. Thank you for sharing!
I found this to be very applicable to me and my life.
Reading these truths means a lot during a time in my life that has been the hardest I have faced…and I very often feel Not good enough…but it is good to know that God sees and says otherwise.
I enjoy your posts and books. Thank you for encouraging women.
Thank you so much or your words of encouragement…low self esteem is one of my major struggles…
Thank you for such a great topic. I go back and forth between fear of not enough and being afraid of what will happen when I succeed.
Renee,
I have so much respect for you and what God has brought you through in order to speak through you to the hearts of so many! It was such an honor to get to meet you at She Speaks this summer and just for a few moments share my heart with you. Your story here, though its only a glimpse of all that happened, is so dear to my heart because of what happened to me as well in my own life. Keep sharing Renee! Thank you for being His hands and feet and choosing to press on even when life makes you want to quit!
Christ in me is more than enough!
I am constantly guilty of that, the seed of doubt was planted in my life more so through losing my job. After 23 years with the same Company you start questioning yourself & your abilities. Thank you for reminding me of God’s great love.
God allows so many hurtful & painful things to happen in our lives, so that His name will be glorified. Thank for your continued encouragement & hope rooted in our resurrection faith.
I’m standing in a long line for early voting so unsure about my decision. I’m happy to say that the one thing i can be sure of is Jesus 🙂
I am loving your book, and also Unglued. I love the verses you posted in your download. I am really trying to “get” my identity in Christ, and I love a list that helps me remember who I am, based on what God has said. Thank you for your work. God is using you to encourage me as I am going through the absolute hardest thing I’ve ever had to do before. My husband and I are going through a separation (not legal, but physical) after dealing with results of him having a midlife crisis of sorts. He has made some horrible choices that God brought to light, and now w are dealing with the fallout. All of this at the same time I have been struggling with my own identity in Christ. I know God will make all things work together for good, and I am really striving to trust and rest in him, and walk faithfully during this time of difficulty. You are helping me through it.
Thank you for the reminders AGAIN. The Truth. The Truth will set us free. And I must fill my mind and heart with this Truth and allow God to use it for His glory and to push out satan’s lies. Your words of encouragement and truth continually do that.
Sometimes it seems as though life is a daily struggle. When we think we have it all together and are walking with God, things seem to fall apart.