Pastor Chris,
Hello, I know I am a christian, but I still struggle with not feeling good enough. How can I get past this? Also, I sruggle with changing. I know the things I need to do (read my bible daily, pray daily, even normal life things to better myself), but I just can’t seem to to it. Any advice? Thank you.
~ Ashley
ANSWER
Ashley,
The enemy of our souls wants you to continue to struggle with feelings of inferiority. Do not give him any ground. Psalm 8 is a real help with this problem. Remember, Jesus thought you were valuable enough to leave heaven and die on a cross so that He could be with you forever in a perfect place. Emotions can lie. Choose to believe what God says. When you set your mind on God’s truth your emotions will be positively affected. Check out Philippians 4:8.
By-the-way, no one is good enough. All fall short (Romans 3:10, 23). Only Christ is good enough. He is the only one who never sinned. Part of the marvelous wonder of Christianity is that the righteousness of Jesus is credited to those who believe in Him (Philippians 3:9). As a a child of God you stand before Him forgiven, clean, and free. We are accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6, KJV).
As far as personal change is concerned, the Christian life is a marathon not a sprint. We want things instantly. Some things take time. You can grow a squash in a few months but it takes years to grow an oak tree. A baby takes years to develop into an adult. Be patient with God. He cares deeply about transforming you into the image of His Son and He will work in your life to bring you to maturity (Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 1:6). You may also want to find a friend or two who desire to grow in Christ. Set a time and get together every week. Within your small group of growing Christians you can encourage and motivate each other to pursue Christ with your whole heart. Real change is usually accomplished with one or two accountability partners who are on the same journey.
The Navigators have terrific discipleship materials. For instance they have Growing In Christ: A Thirteen-Week Follow-Up Course for New and Growing Christians
~ Pastor Chris
