For when you’re feeling insecure

“Tell me why you love me,” I said to my husband.

He proceeded to spout off countless reasons he loves me. But his answers didn’t comfort me.

I was looking for one particular answer that he just happened not to mention this time. And the tears came. It actually had nothing to do with my husband. Nothing to do with his answers or his love for me.

I was crying because I was feeling insecure. I was feeling not good enough. I was feeling inadequate. I have no doubts about my husband’s love for me. I wasn’t feeling insecure because of him. Instead, I was (for whatever reason) beginning to think about a job interview I never heard back from and a blog that I wish had more readers. I started to think of myself as worthless.

“I don’t have a job. My blog isn’t good enough. My skills and education are getting me nowhere. What am I doing wrong? It must just be me. I’m stupid. I’m a loser.”

All those thoughts went through my head as I cried on my husband’s shoulder. When I told him how I was feeling, he reminded me of more reasons he loves me and things I’m great at.

When You’re Feeling Insecure

As my husband comforted me, God began speaking to me too. I heard His whispers …

Your identity is not made up of a job.

Your identity is not made up of your blog.

Your worth is not based on what you do.

You cannot earn your worth.

I realized I had been basing my identity and my worth on my lack of a job and the success (or lack thereof) of my blog. But I am not my blog. I am not my job. I am a child of God. My worth is based on that alone. My identity is found in Christ alone. Because of that, I have no reason to feel insecure in who I am. Because of Christ, I am not inadequate. He makes me good enough.

God spoke truth into me. But not just during my little break down. No, God reaffirmed His truth the very next day at church. And the next day through my mom. And the next day through an email.

I was reminded my identity and worth are not based on my performance or actions — something I’ve always struggled with. But it doesn’t matter how well I can cook or write or clean. It doesn’t matter how well I do in an interview or if the laundry gets done that day. It doesn’t matter how many people read my blog or if I stay unemployed for the rest of my life. If my worth was based solely on myself and my actions, yes, I would be worthless. All of us would.

But because of Christ, I am a new creation. And nothing I do can cause me to be righteous or holy.

The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness — for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. – Romans 4:24

See, if I’m a believer (which I am) it is impossible for me to be a loser and be worthless. God finds me acceptable. So how can I consider myself not good enough? Because I believe in God, I have become righteous, acceptable, worthy, and loved by the only One who truly matters.