To the woman who feels she’s not enough:
You come across confident. Your words, your actions, the way you present yourself, all seem to be carried with a quintessential poise. I know I’m just a girl you think may not know much, but when I look at you — when I really peer in and try to understand who you are — I have this feeling that your confidence is a facade. That your layers are merely that: just layers to hide an engulfing fear of inadequacy. I know this diversion well.
I often use artificial confidence to hide how I feel.
I don’t want you to drown in a sea of decaying self-worth. You have so much to offer this world, so much to give. You’re infinitely valuable. I hope you stretch out your fingers and see the innumerable gifts you could provide.
There are certain nights when I feel most un-enough, and those are the nights I ask Jesus to hold me. Sometimes I feel His arms wrap around mine, and I fall asleep with this feeling of safety. Tonight, I’m asking Him to hold you. Tonight, I’m asking Him to wrap Himself around you so tight that the inadequacy falls away. That you wake up clean and whole and free.
Please don’t rip your worth away.
I have so many scars from all the times I’ve teared open my skin and wrenched out my worth. Every time I convince myself I’m not enough, I rip away the worth Jesus has instilled inside of me. Jesus never ceases to sew me back up, adding value and worth and adequacy.
With Him, I am enough. With Him, I am complete again.
But like many human beings, I tend to be fickle. So I continue to rip my worth away. His love is patient. Each time He stitches me back up and I am made whole.
Perhaps you feel like there are mountains of expectations sitting on your shoulders. It feels like the world may stop its spinning if you don’t keep up. But you are enough as you are. You don’t have to believe me, a twenty-one-year-old girl who knows less than a handful of things. You can choose to believe Jesus instead.
Not for one moment do I believe that Jesus wants us to think we’re inadequate, or not enough.
But I also don’t think He wants us to believe the entirety of the world leans precariously on our shoulders. We can rest and shake off our burdens and curl up at the feet of a God who is madly and passionately in love with us. A God who’s got this — all of this, no matter what your “this” might be. No more masks or fake confidence or pressure-filled days. Instead may we be vulnerable and free.
Because of Jesus, you are enough and worthy and invaluable.
To the woman who feels she’s not enough: I’ll keep on praying until you begin to believe you are.
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Anna Smit says
Beautiful truths here, Aliza. Thank you for this encouragement. I’ve shared your words on my Facebook because I believe I’m not the only one who needs to hear them right now. This especially is so, so beautiful and true:
“We can rest and shake off our burdens and curl up at the feet of a God who is madly and passionately in love with us. A God who’s got this — all of this, no matter what your “this” might be.”
alizalatta says
Thank you, Anna! I’m so grateful you were encouraged today.
Bev @ Walking Well With God says
Aliza,
I love the thought that God is “madly and passionately” in love with us. That has been a hard concept to get through this thick head of mine. It’s only taken me 50+ years, but it’s finally sinking in. So thankful that God is relentless in His pursuit…He’ll keep loving us until we finally “get” it!! No more masks…no more facades…basking in being loved just for who I am, how He created me! Beautiful post!!
Blessings,
Bev
alizalatta says
Thanks Bev. Me too. It’s still a hard concept for me most days!
AmyMae says
Thank you! You let God use you to speak into the heart of the matter in so many hearts.
alizalatta says
Thank you, AmyMae! I so appreciate your encouragement.
Jane Millward says
Thank you so much for this teaching and your promise to pray for us! Goes right with what I heard yesterday about accepting a “thirty-year” hug from God. We would all be impoverished if we despised your youth and the godly wisdom you share. Have a blessed day!
alizalatta says
I love that — a “thirty-year” hug. So beautiful.
Sarah Lee says
These were much needed words this morning. Thank you.
alizalatta says
I’m so glad to hear that, Sarah!!
Nancy Wolfe @ livingcenter.me says
Aliza – So timely and sweet.
A woman that I know only long-distance and professionally has a really hard time during the holiday season. I responded to her concerns about surviving the next month with my own problem with “enough…”
“…I love the holidays and hate them. I was widowed at 38, when my daughter was 12. Ever since then, a part of me has dreaded Christmas. I can get wobbly and panicky. I feel like I’m doing too much and then not enough. It’s exhausting.”
I believe God longs for us to live refreshed – not exhausted. And maintaining the facade drains the life from us – the life God intended us to have.
Thanks for your lovely thoughts and encouragement.
alizalatta says
Nancy, that’s beautiful. Yes, refreshed and not exhausted! It’s beautiful.
A says
Aliza, thank you to you and to Jesus for this beautiful message. I am so grateful that He blesses you with this gift of wisdom; how good He is. Believing that I have worth is such a hard thing and yet I know that the Lord is so good and dealing with me on this, showing me that I have a place in this world when the world says I don’t fit in with its ideas. To each of us He grants gifts for His glory and I am thankful that you say yes to using these gifts to remind each of us how He sees us. May His peace fill your days and help each of us to see our worth from His eyes 🙂
alizalatta says
I love this: “…showing me that I have a place in this world when the world says I don’t fit in…” How true that is! Thank you!
Rebecca Jones says
There are so many people with this problem. Most of them may be women. We must remember to focus on Jesus and not us, if His sacrifice is a constant reminder that He made us worthy, maybe we will stop letting our feelings rule and let His spirit rule. I did this for years, thinking my prayers were not answered, but they were.
alizalatta says
You’re right, Rebecca, and what a good reminder this is: he made us worthy.
JeanneTakenaka says
Aliza, such beautiful words. And for you to be learning these truths at 21? What a gift. My One Word last year was ENOUGH. I spent the year recognizing the things about me that I thought were not Enough, and allowing the Lord to rewrite His messages upon my heart. It’s a life-long learning curve for some of us. Thanks for the prayers, and for your reminder that with Jesus we ARE enough. 🙂
alizalatta says
I love how that was your word! I think that’s my life word 🙂
Veronica says
Love this Aliza. It’s in knowing that I am enough in Christ that I can take the next step and then every step He ordains for me knowing He has it all in the palm of His hand. Have a good day. 🙂
alizalatta says
That’s exactly right, Veronica. Only when we accept and believe that we are enough in Christ can we keep going. Thank you!
Angie Ryg says
“We can rest and shake off our burdens and curl up at the feet of a God who is madly and passionately in love with us.”
“Creator” I can remember when I see the sunset.
“Savior” I know deep because of His scars covering mine.
But this? This reminder that he is passionately in love with me? Yes, I needed these beautiful words today!
Thank you Friend!
XOXO
alizalatta says
I love how those things trigger those words for you. That’s beautiful. Thank you so much, Angie.
Meg Bucher says
That was amazing! And who doesn’t need to reminded that Jesus is always matching our stride…we need only to grab His hand and let Him run with us! Thank you!
alizalatta says
Ohhhh I love that! “We only need to grab his hand and let him run with us” — yes, yes, yes.
Trudy Den Hoed says
Thank you so much, Aliza, for this encouragement. I needed this as that “not enough” voice often plagues me. I love the truth that Jesus keeps sewing us back up and making us whole.
alizalatta says
Plagues me too, Trudy. You aren’t alone.
Beth Williams says
Aliza,
Beautifully written post! God has gifted you with words!! To often I feel “not enough”. I know all this in my head, but trying to get it to my heart is another thing! This post made me think of the book “Grace for the Good Girl” by
Emily P. Freeman. She talks about women taking off their various masks and just being themselves. I quickly went to Zephaniah 3:17 “The Lord your God is with you,He is might to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Hard to comprehend!!
Blessings 🙂
alizalatta says
That’s my absolute favourite verse, Beth! I love it. Thank you!
Mary Gemmill says
Thank you. Right words at the right time. Thank you and God BLESS you.
I have shared also because many of us need to remember this.
alizalatta says
Thank you so much for sharing, Mary. So glad it encouraged you today.
Lovelle says
Girl this made me cry. It was what I REALLY needed to hear. Thank you for your words. They have blessed me more than you know.
Jas says
Really lovely and timely post for me this month, Because of Jesus you are enough and worthy and invaluable – so need the reminder. It’s such a hard truth to wrap my head around but it is the truth and I pray God teaches me to accept and make this truth a part of my mind and soul
Leianne says
Tonight I felt so valueless and insignificant, then I read this. The verse “He knew me rven before I was formed in my mother’s womb” kept on resonating in my heart while I was asking God to hug me. I am so grateful that I read your Blog 🙂 made me realize that Jesus would never ever want us to feel valueless 🙂