Do you ever feel not good enough?

“Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”  -2 Corinthians 3:4-6

Few words cut deeper than, “You’re not _______ enough.”

Not smart enough.  Not rich enough.  Not talented enough.  Not pretty enough.

Not big enough.  Not thin enough.  Not young enough.  Not old enough.

Not good enough.

We live in a world that loves to tell us in constant and creative ways, “You are not enough”… but that’s not what Jesus says.

Jesus says, “In your own strength, you are not enough, but in my Spirit, you are completely sufficient.  In your own power you are not able, but in my presence you are completely competent and can be completely confident in me and in who I’ve made you to be.”

The “letter” in 2 Corinthians 3:4-6 is the balance sheet that tries to make you measure yourself against an impossible standard and compare yourself to irrelevant people.

Their opinion of you doesn’t matter.  Their criticism of you doesn’t matter.  If you’re a follower of Christ, Jesus has called you to be a “minister,” a sharer, a spreader, an administrator of His new covenant with humanity.  He is building a new world, He’s inviting you to participate in it, and He has given you everything you need for success in the mission to which He has called you.

On your own, you are not enough.

In the Spirit of Christ, you are MORE than sufficient, and even better that that, you are loved.