You Are Enough

by Garry Floyd

I want to communicate the importance of self-worth.

Scripture Reading: Psalms 139:1-6

Forward

Upon what should our self-worth be based? What gives us value as human beings? How can we focus on inner beauty in a culture seemingly obsessed with physical beauty? Is it possible to find our worth in God alone?

God Knows!

Psalms 139:1-6 - God sees us as we are.

God takes the blank canvas of who we are, raw and stripped down, naked and bare without the very clothes on our backs, homes in our neighborhoods, hair on our heads, makeup and smiles on our faces, cars in our garages, money in our investment accounts, friends in our digital and physical social circles, and even without the excuse of our foes lurking to bout.

Romans 3:22-24 – All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God

God sees us as we are, without any of these external veneers.  He sees us as enough to serve Him and please Him.

Anxiety - Nobody Cares!

Jeremiah 20:7-10 – Jeremiah’s despair following his persecution by Pashhur

Jeremiah 20:15-18 – Jeremiah was overwhelmed with anxiety

Job 2:9-10 – Job’s wife goes to the heart of that which God finds most commendable about Job – his integrity.

Job 9:20-21 – The sin of self-doubt steals our confidence

Job 16:1-7 – Job’s friends are no comfort

[NOTES]

• Job 1:13-19 – Job loses all of his children and known wealth
• Job 2:7-9 – Job afflicted with painful sores from head to toe
• Job 2:12-13 – Job’s friends hardly recognized him
• Job 3:20-26 – Job had so many things bringing him far down, beyond humility]

Imagine experiencing such overwhelming embarrassment, neglect, abandonment, shame, despair, crippling depression where it feels like nobody cares.  Where your heart gets to the point of wishing you were never born!

Satan knows that with the right mix of anxiety he can kill our joy.  Sow the seed of self-doubt and despair in our hearts to the point of self-hatred, and hopelessness.  Damaged self-worth sabotages God’s blessings for each of us and Satan loves it and uses it!

Matthew 6:30-34 – Do not be anxious about tomorrow

Believe in Yourself!

We are our own worst enemy when it comes to believing in ourselves – which is what faith requires.

Hebrews 10:22-25 – We are called to act faithfully upon our confidence to enter by the blood of Christ, into God’s presence.

We constantly nitpick our imperfections until there is nothing left but the scars of self-mutilation physically, emotionally, and mentally.  Resulting in a sort of spiritual callus that makes the work of God impossible.  What an interesting reality!  That a godly matter can be “impossible” for God!  How can it be!  Surely I must be preaching in error, yes?

Hebrews 11:6 – Without faith, it is impossible to please Him

I Chronicles 28:9-10 – David’s charge to Solomon to build the Temple of God

Every task the God of heaven has set before mankind, He could do on His own.  But God would rather empower us with the worth and value He sees in us to accomplish His will.

Matthew 10:29-31 – You are worth more than many sparrows

Beware of Self-Sabotage

Oddly enough, we twist these very opportunities into burdens and send them back to God asking Him to just fix it or make it go away or make it go our way.  Thus, missing out on His desire to build us up from where we are, establishing our self-confidence in doing His will for our lives.

I Corinthians 10:13 – God will not tempt you without a morally right solution

What about Paul’s ‘Thorn in the flesh” mentioned in II Corinthians 12:7-10?

• Verse 7 teaches Paul’s thorn in the flesh was necessary to keep him humble. Do weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities make you feel humiliated, embarrassed, ashamed, and resentful?  If so, then you are not achieving the righteousness of God in applying this verse to your self-doubt.
• Verse 9 reminds us that our earthly weakness can be the platform for perfecting and demonstrating the Lord’s power. Through His grace, we can still have the kind of spiritual confidence to accomplish His will in spite of our imperfect lives.
• This is a single point of failure for most Christians. And, Satan knows it.  We must keep in mind, the craftiness of Satan.
• Genesis 3:1 Satan is very crafty. He doesn’t care how you build up a callous towards God’s will for your life - so long as you do so that your self-doubting soul will be lost to him!

You Are Enough!

God is powerful.  He is the origin of love and the foundation of truth.

Ephesians 3:17-19 – Be rooted and grounded in His love

But, for the willingness of mankind.  He needs you to believe that He has given you everything you need to serve and please Him in this life, and the life to come.

II Peter 1:3 – He has given us all things needed for life and godliness

He needs us to believe in His kind of love as defined by His grace and mercy.  It is the healing balm to self-doubt and negativity.  He needs us to embrace the humility of our youth.

Matthew 18:1-4 – Be humble like a child and be the greatest in the kingdom!

It is that level of trust and vulnerability that God needs to shape and mold us just as we are.  God will help and hold us in times of extreme doubt and fear.  Run to Jesus!  His arms have been opened all this time just to remind you that you are enough.

Psalms 139:7-12; 23-24