Solid Truth for the Days When You’re Feeling “Less Than”

The math of social media leaves me with more questions than solutions, and the presiding symbol in the equation always feels like “less than.” When I fall into the trap of comparing myself to the gifted, the scintillating, and the accomplished, I can be sure that the spirit of scarcity won’t be far behind, sucking dry my confidence and leaving my faith parched and brittle.

Paul’s letter to believers in Corinth provides fighting words to prevail against the lie of “less than.” Whom we know, how much we know, or how well we are known by the names that matter is all secondary to this one truth:

“But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.”  (1 Corinthians 8:3 ESV)

Hear the Word of the Lord, O my soul!

I may not be “known” by thousands, but I am known by God, and this is the most compelling feature on my resume. God’s face is turned toward me with joy and welcome—and with a love that is present and powerful. While I’m all the time imagining a closed door and cramped quarters, God has envisioned and provided for wide-open access, and my feet are standing in the place of grace.

How God Thinks of Us

In his classic essay “The Weight of Glory,” C.S. Lewis describes this “good report with God” using one word:  “Glory!”  The promise of acceptance into the heart of God comes with His approval, and Lewis concludes:  “How God thinks of us is not only more important but infinitely more important. (38) To please God . . . to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness . . . to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work or a father in a son—it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is.”  (39)

So it is. God’s ponderous glory is a weighty counterbalance to past lies or present disappointments. And when I try to do life according to any other equation, I’m making deposits to an account that is continually overdrawn.

God’s ponderous glory is a weighty counterbalance to past lies or present disappointments. When I try to do life according to any other equation, I’m making deposits to an account that is continually overdrawn.

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Responding to the Weight of Glory

Because of this weighty truth, I am no longer the girl who feared scarcity, inspired by a worried President Ford wearing his sweater on T.V. and telling us to turn down our thermostats because there most certainly was not enough oil to fuel our future. God’s delight in me continually fills up the empty spaces in my heart that corresponded to the empty spaces in my growing-up refrigerator—the ones that stood in stark contrast with the steady supply of vodka bottles hidden in the trunk of the ’72 Plymouth.

It’s likely your own road map shows a few desolate places in the itinerary up to this point, a record of the journey through days when security and abundance seemed to be a thousand miles away as you slogged through debt or disappointment or confusion. Whatever its origin, the only lasting corrective to a less-than mentality is an abundant approval that will endure. The only potent antidote to its poison is the weighty security of a welcome from the One with whom your heart is absolutely safe.

Therefore, with my longing to be acknowledged lavishly met, I receive (with gratitude!) the gift of self-forgetfulness. The script of my life can switch from, “Here I am!” to “There YOU are!” as I celebrate the accomplishments of my sisters in Christ and come alongside them to help them lean into their unique callings. Best of all, liberated from the need to be center stage, I can lift my eyes and be astounded by the glory of God where everything begins and ends.

With your need for approval lavishly met in Christ, the script of your life can switch from, “Here I am!” to “There YOU are!” You are liberated from the need to be center stage.

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And Now Let’s Talk Books…

Like turning the facets of a precious gem to refract the light from various angles, each of the sixteen featured names of God reveals his beauty from a fresh perspective. I’ve read and meditated on the truth of Psalm 91:1-2 for a long time, but even so, I had never noticed that this short passage features four distinct names of God. With that in mind, I will enjoy the passage even more.

We cannot love what we do not know, and immersing our hearts and minds in the study of God’s rich and meaningful names is undoubtedly a good beginning for the believer who wants to embrace her identity as God’s child and model her life according to God’s character.

Holding You in the Light,

We cannot love what we do not know, and immersing our hearts and minds in the study of God’s names begins the embrace of our identity as God’s children as we model our lives according to God’s character. @InstaEncourage #16NamesofGod

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Free Encouragement in Your Inbox…

On the third Thursday of every month, I send a newsletter with biblical encouragement straight to my subscribers’ email inboxes. Frequently, I share free resources, and the newsletter is where everything lands first. I’m committed to the truth that women can become confident followers of God and students of his Word, and it’s my goal to help you along that path.

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Many thanks to the publisher for providing a copy of this book to facilitate my review, which is, of course, offered freely and with honesty.

Photo by Debby Hudson on Unsplash