“You are not enough.” That lie has taken on many variations, nuances, and forms throughout time, but it’s the same lie that has been whispered to us by the enemy from the beginning of creation. It’s a lie meant to keep us from stepping forward in faith in the things God has called and created us to do.

Sometimes the lie comes coupled with shame about our past or an area of our life where we feel weak, or it’s rooted in the fear of failure or that we’ll be found lacking in some way. Sometimes it stems from comparing ourselves to others who appear to be succeeding in ministry, business, relationships, and life overall, and we feel unqualified, unprepared, and unfit to fulfill the purpose God has for us.

Whatever form that lie takes on, it tricks us into thinking that somehow, at our very core, we just aren’t enough.

But the truth is, God does not view us as “not enough.” He knows we have limitations and shortcomings, that we’re a work in progress, but when He looks at us, He sees us exactly as He created us. He knew who He was getting when He called us because He created us with a purpose in mind. Ephesians 2:10 says, “We are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

There is no limitation that exists in us that God isn’t ready to equip, fill, and empower. He prepared us in advance with everything we would need to do what He called us to do.

I love the passages in Exodus 3:1-14 and 4:1-12 where God is telling Moses what to do to bring the Israelites out from bondage into freedom. Moses couldn’t stop bringing up all of his limitations – he was afraid, he didn’t think anyone would take him seriously, he felt unqualified, he didn’t know how to speak and kept offering up every excuse to God.

I feel like I can relate a little to Moses. A few years ago, I was invited to be interviewed on a podcast to share part of my testimony. I had never done anything like that before, and public speaking sure wasn’t on my list of things I aspired to do. After trying to bow out a few times, the Lord made it clear it was something He had put in my path to do. So I said yes and did the interview.

Leading up to that point, I didn’t have any confidence in my ability to string together two coherent thoughts and had more than a few moments of internal panic and I tried to think how I could get out of it. But when the interview began, I sensed the Holy Spirit giving me the right words to say and helping me articulate my thoughts in a way that I knew didn’t come from my own public speaking ability. I didn’t magically become a polished, well-trained speaker on the spot, but His grace and anointing came on me to do what He had asked me to do.

That’s why I know God meant it when He was speaking to Moses in Exodus 4:11-12: “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

It has very little to do with how enough or capable or able we are on our own, and everything to do with God giving us strength, power, ability, and vision to do what He has called us to do. This truth dispels any argument that would try to cancel out the purpose and calling we have in Christ. God isn’t calling all of us to take up public speaking. But there are things He has called each of us to do that He has promised to teach and guide us in.

I learned after that interview that if God calls us to do something, He has already put the tools in our hands, the words in our mouths, and the resources in our lives to do what He has told us to do.

2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” As we yield our “not enough” to Him, He will become MORE THAN enough through us.

So any time the enemy tries to sneak in with the lie that suggests we aren’t enough, we don’t have enough, or we don’t have what it takes, we can know God has already declared, emphatically, “I have called you (Isaiah 43:1), you are enough, and you have what it takes (2 Peter 1:3) because of my grace and my power at work in you (2 Corinthians 12:9).”

It’s not because of who *we* are on our own merit, or what we are capable of on our own, but because of the Spirit of God living and active in us, that we are made enough – righteous, called, qualified, chosen, and blessed – in His sight.

With love,

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Andrea Howey is a hand lettering artist from Dallas, Texas. She uses hand lettering to share her heart and the message of hope, truth, and faith found in the Word of God. Her aim is for people to be encouraged in heart, strengthened in faith, and above all, point people to know Jesus personally and intimately.

You can find Andrea and her beautiful handwritten words of encouragement on Instagram at: @andrearhowey.

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Weekly Challenge
In your journals, post-it notes or even on your Facebook or Instagram accounts, share how God is refuting this week’s lies in your life. For example, when you hear that you can never change, write out how you know this isn’t Truth. Write out verses you cling to and ways God is refuting those lies that you can see.

Reading Plan

Memory Verse

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Andrea Howey

Andrea Howey

Andrea Howey is a hand lettering artist in Dallas, Texas. She started hand lettering Scripture and encouraging words during a season of loss and God began to use it as a means to minister encouragement to people around the world through social media. Today, she continues to create hand lettered words and goods for her business, as well as freelance work for ministries, authors, and other projects, all with the aim of encouraging people in heart, strengthening people in faith, and above all, pointing people to Jesus. You can check out her beautiful designs at andreahowey.com and connect with her on Instagram.

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