“For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh” Romans 7:18
The phrase, “You’re enough” has become commonplace. It’s rooted in the idea that happiness comes from loving and accepting yourself exactly as you are. But the enemy uses both extremes of our self-esteem to mess with us. He whispers, “you’re not enough. You need something else.” Then he promotes filling the void with self-confidence and self-belief. So what does the Bible say about self-esteem and how we should view ourselves?
The apostle Paul understood that there was nothing of value in his flesh. He struggled against his human nature, just as we do. So the devil’s accusation that we’re not good enough is true! We do need something else. But that something is not self-belief; it’s belief in Jesus. It’s not self-reliance but continual reliance on Christ.
Jesus taught that we should be “poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). That doesn’t mean self-loathing; and it has nothing to do with your financial position. Being poor in spirit is an attitude that recognizes self as sinful, rebellious, and utterly without moral virtues. It’s a complete absence of self-assurance and self-reliance, which are prideful.
You see, pride isn’t thinking too much of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself at all. So the lie that you’re enough will always mess with you because it focuses on self rather than on Jesus. And any allegiance to self keeps us from depending solely on Him.
James 4:6 tells us, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” The concept here is that God sets Himself in “battle array” against those who are proud. He stiff-arms the arrogant and repels those who are self-sufficient. On the other hand, God makes Himself most available to the humble—those who are completely dependent on Him.
Do you struggle with insecurity? Or, have you become self-reliant? Both extremes focus on self instead of Christ, which is prideful. Your value is that you were made in the image of God. And as a believer His divine nature lives within you (2 Peter 1:4). His Spirit enables you to live each day as He lived. “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life” (John 6:63). Remember, you’re not enough but Jesus is!