“I’m not good enough.” Dealing With Defeating Thoughts

Last Updated on April 15, 2018

A few weekends ago, I had the opportunity to speak at MomLife BootCamp. Prior to the conference, I kept hearing this nagging voice in my head: What do you have to offer anyone? You’re going to bomb it.

The morning of my small session, I had more negative thoughts. You aren’t a talented speaker like the others, so why bother? You have no training. You’re a nobody. You’re not worthy…

Afterward, the same fears paraded through my mind. You were terrible. You aren’t good enough…

Even as I write this, I hear those defeating thoughts: I can’t walk across the kitchen floor without sticking to it. What makes me think I can write? And what kind of mother doesn’t notice until after her child has emptied an entire bottle of Poo-Pourri in the minivan? Will that odor ever go away? The dog almost climbed out the van’s window this morning, trying to outrun the smell.

As moms, sometimes our biggest enemy is ourselves and the negative thoughts circling in our heads. We don’t feel we’re good enough. And there always seems to be a Supermom lurking around every corner. Worse, she’s sporting her polished cape while I’m wearing my 10-year-old’s mismatched Christmas socks in April because it’s all I could find in the midst of my daughter’s hair fiasco. And Supermom’s car doesn’t smell like Poo-Pourri…

What we must realize is these defeating thoughts are part of human nature. We all have them, even Supermom. We live in a world that wants to defeat us. Peter puts it into perspective for us.

[verse reference=”1 Peter 5:8″]Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. (NLT)[/verse]

We have an enemy who wants to defeat us at every turn, even—especially—in our thoughts.

But there is good news.

[verse reference=”Ephesians 2:10″]For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. (NLT)[/verse]

We are God’s masterpieces. Even with all our flaws. Other translations of Ephesians 2:10 use terms like God’s workmanship, God’s handiwork, and God’s creation. We are brought to God by grace (see Ephesians 2:8-10), and He considers us His works of art. If the Author, Creator, and Sustainer of all things seen and unseen offers us grace and views us as His masterpieces, should we not extend that same grace to ourselves?

Don’t give in to those defeating thoughts. You are a work of art in the eyes of the Almighty God. The greatest gift you can offer yourself and others today is grace, the same grace Jesus extends to you every moment you live.

For more encouragement, see Moms and Body Image Issues, My Love is Enough, and How to Overcome Mom Guilt.