You Are More

There are times when we all battle with a feeling of unworthiness and it's all too easy to get to that point.  Between things at work, struggles on the home front, our past or just the quiet voice in our heads telling us that we are "no good", there is a constant pressure trying to push us down.

How do we respond to these voices?  We try to do things that will make us "good".  We participate in service activities; we give of our time, talent or treasure; we read the Bible; we try to do better.  Don't get me wrong, all of these are good things, but even with all of these efforts, we can sometimes feel like we are coming up short in the worthiness department.

After all of our efforts, how can we still feel unworthy?  Maybe we are trying to achieve something that cannot be achieved through our efforts, or lost due to a lack thereof.  I am not talking about worthiness as the world defines it, which is the measure we often use.  The type of worthiness we cannot achieve is the kind as God defines it.  It is the type of worthiness that comes from the gift Jesus Christ gave to us in the sacrifice of His life for me, and for you too.  We can’t work hard enough to earn this.

The band Tenth Avenue North has a great song called "You Are More" (www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwtcwQwgdsA).  The main way this song speaks to me is helping me to realize there is nothing I can do to make myself worthy.

"'Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to. 

This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved. 

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade."

In Romans 8:14-17, Paul lays this out for us.

"For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

We are not slaves, we are heirs.  And, we cannot lose the inheritance given to us as heirs.  Therefore, just as there is nothing I can do to make myself worthy, there is nothing I can do to make myself unworthy.

That’s really good news!

So, brothers and sisters, stop trying to gain something that is already yours.  When the world tells you “you are less”, choose to listen to the loving words God says to you every day.

“You are more!”