How to Quiet the Voices Saying You Aren’t Good Enough

Hosea put it well: I’ll call nobodies and make them somebodies; I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved, In the place where they yelled out, “You’re nobody!” they’re calling you “God’s living children.” Romans 9:25-26 (MSG)

There are very few social occasions when I feel comfortable. 

Usually the problem starts long before I arrive at a dinner, a work meeting, or a party. It starts in my bedroom, when I look in the mirror and I tug and pull on my clothes. 

Then I look at my cupboard for something more suitable, something that will make me feel beautiful, corporate or cool. 

But I never seem to find the right clothes in there.

I don’t know about you, but the names and labels I’ve been called in my life have hurt, they’re the reason I find myself trying on 5 outfits before I walk out the door.

I fear others thinking that I’m ugly, unimportant, unlovable. I don’t want to be a nobody.

I really, really want others to think that I’m beautiful, important and lovable. I want others to believe I’m somebody worthy of speaking to instead of talking about. 

I know even as I rifle through my clothes that this isn’t really about finding the right garment or belt and shoes. This is an issue of my heart. 

It’s about the fact that I don’t believe I am who God says I am. 

Hosea, a pretty cool bible prophet, said what God thinks about me best: 

I’ll call nobodies and make them somebodies; 

I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved, 

In the place where others yelled out, “You’re nobody!” 

God’s calling you “My Child.” (tweet this)

So, I go to the computer, and I make this printable, and I stick it in my cupboard. Right there, next to clothes I’ve been relying on to make me somebody. 

In a place where every time I see it I can be reminded that I’m not what others think about me. 

I am not the labels I have called myself. 

I answer only to the names I’ve been given by God: 

Somebody. Beloved. Child. (tweet this)

Ponder: How would my life be different if I believed what God says about me?

Pray: When I feel like nobody, Lord, remind me that I’m somebody to you. When I feel unloved, tell me again how you call me beloved. And when all I can hear are voices telling me I’m not enough let me hear your voice calling me, “my child”.

Print: If you’d like a copy of the printable I created to remind me of the names God’s given me, you can download it for free here.

This year I decided to take part in OneWord365. Through out the year I’ve been writing devotionals about what I'm learning about “enough”. You can find the whole enough collection here or read why I chose enough as my word for 2014. 

{Share this post}

You can share this devotional on twitter by clicking here. I’d also love for you to connect with me on my Facebook and twitter pages or if you're viewing this via email you can leave a comment by clicking here.

Get a copy of my e-book Life, Life and More Life for free. Just subscribe to receive my devotionals every Monday and Friday. In the book I share some of thoughts on how to make every moment count, gleaned from my experiences of loving my husband through 18 sessions of chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. You can subscribe here

- This was orginally published on my site in August 2014 to read more devotionals like this go to ilovedevotionals.com