December 10, 2021

                                                             Week Two / Friday

Overcoming the Fear of…

Being Inadequate

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.  – 2 Timothy 1:7

The fear of being inadequate, not good enough, or of not being the best has always been a worry of mine.  I consider myself a competitive person, so the idea of being “adequate” quickly turns into the idea of being the “best” at a particular activity.  

Growing up, I worried about having the best grade or being the best on a team. Anything less than the best felt as though I had failed.  It made me feel inadequate.  After high school and into college, this idea was humbled.  I quickly realized that, at a large university, being the best in order to feel adequate was unreasonable and unattainable.  I began to recognize the stress and pressure that I was putting on myself.  In my mind, being adequate wasn’t enough.  

I began to realize that in order to reach my goal as a physical therapist, I did not have to have the best grade in every class.  As I progressed through college and was accepted into PT school, I realized that it wasn’t about being the best but doing my best.  I realized that doing my best was just as fulfilling to achieve my goals.

We as humans try to excel at things in life in order to feel “good enough” or accepted.  The reality is that we all are sinners and, even in our imperfections, God finds us adequate.  

Jesus is the only way to have true fulfillment and joy.

Even though our human actions are truly inadequate for Jesus, even in our hardest and darkest times, Jesus finds us adequate and forgives us of those sins, if we simply put our faith in Him.

In what ways do you fear being inadequate?                  

Read 2 Timothy 1:7 one more time.

• What does this scripture tell you about God?  

• What does this scripture tell you about your fear?

 

Prayer for Today:  Lord God, help me understand and realize that I don’t have to be perfect or the best to be adequate.  Help me realize that you forgive me for my sins; and, despite my imperfections, I am adequate enough to be loved by you. You love me unconditionally.  AMEN.  

 

Written by: Margaret Keele

Small Group Leader, Giving Team