I’m just not good enough!

[Radagast]

Several times on CF, I’ve seen a cry from the heart along the lines of: “I’m just not good enough!” and I felt moved to write a response that wasn't too trivial.

Sometimes this cry comes from adults suffering depression, but most often it comes from teenagers (who are young enough to be both honest and idealistic).

All of these people seem to have been brought up on the belief that if only you’re good enough, you’ll enter heaven—and, of course, that’s why they’re depressed.

Now, this belief that you enter heaven by being good has a long tradition, and is backed up by many Hollywood movies. The problem is: IT’S NOT CHRISTIANITY!

The idea that nobody is good enough is one of the basic beliefs of Christianity. Not you, not me, not anybody (except Jesus). When St Paul quotes the Psalms:

“There is no one righteous, not even one;
there is no one who understands,
no one who seeks God.
All have turned away,
they have together become worthless;
there is no one who does good,
not even one.” (Romans 3:10b–12)

that’s what he’s saying: nobody is good enough. Romans 7:14–24 makes crystal clear that Paul knows that he himself isn’t good enough either.

All of us (especially those brought up in a Christian society) have a sense, deep inside us, of what human beings should be like—a sense of what we should aspire to. These things are “written on our hearts” and our “consciences bear witness” (Romans 2:14–15). Yet we fail to meet this standard.

So what’s to be done? We are unable to reach up to God through our own efforts, but God can reach down to us. That’s why Jesus came, and He said Himself: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” (Matthew 9:12b)

It was the people who knew they weren’t good enough who followed Jesus: Matthew, the tax collector of dubious honesty (Matthew 9:9), the Samaritan woman who was a little too casual about marriage (John 4:7–42), and the Roman Centurion (Matthew 8:5–13).

As for the Pharisees who thought they could get to heaven by being good—read what Jesus wrote about them: it isn’t pretty. But Jesus accepts us as we are. As a wonderful old hymn says:

Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shed for me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come.

Just as I am, though tossed about
With many a conflict, many a doubt,
Fightings within and fears without,
O Lamb of God, I come.

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive,
Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come. (Charlotte Elliott, 1834)

The language here may be rather old fashioned—the words are 170 years old—but in those days hymns had an honesty and power that some of the sugary “happy” hymns of today do not share.

Of course, once we have taken the hand that God reaches down to us, a whole other story begins, because Jesus says: “follow me” (Matthew 4:19, 8:22, 9:9, 16:24, etc.). What does that mean? It means following Jesus on a journey of becoming more and more perfect, until eventually we reach perfection in heaven. This journey is not necessary to enter heaven: the criminal who was crucified with Jesus and believed in Him (Luke 23:40–43) didn’t have time for much of a journey at all. But the journey is a gift from God to us, as well as a way that we can give our lives back to God. Theologians call the process sanctification.

It’s a journey that is very, very slow, and with lots of ups and downs. Remember Romans 7:14–24? That’s talking about St Paul, one of history’s greatest Christians. Even he didn’t find the journey easy. Many of his letters to Christian churches are about this journey, which Paul sometimes describes as a sporting event (yes, his readers were fans of the Olympic games too):

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12–14)

And it is like a race. One step after another. Not thinking about where we’ve been, but thinking about where we’re going. Yet running with confidence, because if we are on God’s team, He won’t reject us (Romans 8:1, Philippians 1:6, John 6:37). Not only that, we have a fantastic coach (Romans 8:26–27).

So, what does the Bible say to those who feel that they aren’t good enough?
* It agrees: no, you’re not.
* But it also says that Jesus accepts you as you are.
* It offers a program, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, for making you better.
* And it says that one day, in heaven, you will be the person that you were meant to be.

-- Radagast

 

[Glaz]

Great post Radagast. I've had this on my mind lately as well, I have seen some despairing posts here on our forums lately. There seems to be this tendency to think that just because we think poorly of ourselves that means Jesus does too. Jesus is so great though, He loves us despite our faults, even when we give up on ourselves He doesn't. I live a life that is far from ideal in many ways, at least by worldly standards, but I take so much comfort in the simple fact the Jesus loves me no matter what I or other people think of me.

 

[DawnTillery]

I think I walked around the house for about 3 days after I was saved feeling this exact same way, I doubted if I was saved, how I could be saved. It seems like everytime something is bothering me when I question these things, I find something like this and bam here it is again, thank you Radagast. Since I was a sinner for 32 years, I didnt just wake up the next day after being saved all different, its going to take time. I still stumble and when I do, I feel the exact way you Radagast posted about.
Thank you, that is exactly what I needed to see this morning...
God Bless you!

 

[mlmum]

Thank you for a post truly worth reading.... and remembering every day.

 

[newlite]

i could of used this before. thanks

 

[Bible Addict]

Great post, an inspiration, really

 

[LiberatedChick]

Wonderful post Radagast

 

[Knight]

Excellent post.

Nobody is "good enough."

This is why we need grace. If we were "good enough" then Christ died for nothing.

 

[Radagast]

Happy if I helped someone.

-- Radagast