“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 ESV
We, humankind, have a legacy of self-dependence, self-reliance, self-sufficiency, and self-assurance.
Early in our history, God erased humankind, except for Noah and his small family, because man’s pervasive self-centered sin and wickedness had so completely tainted God’s creation. (Genesis 6-9)
A couple of chapters later (Genesis 11), humanity’s desire to rule itself led to the building of the Tower of Babel. “Come, let us make a name for ourselves (v. 4).” Not satisfied with God’s oversight and leadership, man declared their independence, rebellion, and determination to rule themselves. God intervened. He confused and divided the people by introducing different languages simultaneously, thus forcing them to group with others of the same tongue and relocate to other areas.
Humanity’s battle for self-control against God has continued through the ages.
In my lifetime, one of the significant battles perpetrated by Satan, sin, and self has been against womanhood. The warring lies go something like this:
- Women, you can do it all.
- You can have it all.
- You call all the shots in your life.
- You don’t need anyone or anything else to make you whole.
- Doing your best is all that anyone can or should expect.
- You are the keeper of your heart.
- You are enough as you are.
The world has played along in this attack on womanhood in every aspect of our culture.
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In 1962, Peggy Lee ignited a little-known, previously recorded song, “I’m A Woman,” which declares there’s nothing, including keeping her hubby happy, that she can’t do.
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Women “roared” in 1972, when Helen Reddy sang “I am woman, hear me roar. – I can do anything. I am strong (strong), I am invincible (invincible), I am woman.”
TV ads joined in the battle. The 1980 perfume commercial featuring an apron-wearing, business-suit-clad, beautiful woman strutting to “’Cuz I’m a woman. I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan. And never let you forget you’re a man,” is a classic. It tells women that you can have everything. Go for it all!
Today, the anthem is “I don’t have to be perfect. I am enough. I’m in control. I will do what I want. I answer to no one but myself.” Numerous current songs, movies, and cultural norms support and promote these ideas.
The problem is that, whether it was distant history or the 1960s, 1970s, or now in the present day, these pervasive attitudes place a tremendous amount of pressure and stress on women.
When women fail to flourish, succeed, find peace, and experience joy, they feel like failures. They resign themselves to “This is as good as it gets. This is as good as I get. Take it or leave it. Take me or leave me.” It’s no wonder that over 23% (59.3 million in 2022) of U.S. adults live with mental illness.* That number continues to grow.
Make no mistake, men and manhood are equally under attack. The specifics of the battle may differ, but the outcome is the same.
These falsehoods have infiltrated the theology taught in many churches. It’s okay that you’re not perfect. God takes you just as you are. You hear it in the worship songs that God doesn’t expect perfection; He takes us as we are. We are enough.
It’s true that God takes us as we are when we come to Him in repentance, faith, and surrender. But when the message stops there, we step into a lie.
In Matthew (5:48), Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Perfection is the expectation. Not today or tomorrow, but one glorious day.
We need to understand that God accepts us in our imperfection, but His end goal is perfection for each of us. Between the moment Jesus becomes our Lord and Savior and the eternal day when we step into God’s planned perfection for us, we are to be constantly striving to grow, submitting to the Holy Spirit’s transforming, perfecting work in us.
God has no intention of allowing us to remain as we were at the time of our salvation or as we are today. And He does not expect us to transform ourselves. Genuine inside-out self-transformation is not a do-it-yourself project.
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV
Confession may be “good for the soul,” but the truth is infinitely better.
Friend, there is great peace and joy in honestly admitting that we are not enough. We will never be enough. We cannot do it all, be all, have it all, or control it all. If we place our faith in our abilities, gifts, and self-sufficiency, we will eventually come crashing down.
But, if we place our faith in the One who is above all and controls all, when we falter (as we all will at times), Jesus stands ready to pick us up. He never fails, He never falters. He is our Solid Rock. Our anchor in the storms of life.
Paul writes in Ephesians, “And He (God) put all things under His (Jesus) feet and gave Him (Jesus) as head over all things to the church, which is His (Jesus) body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” (Ephesians 1:22-23 ESV)
Enough already with trying to be enough!
HE alone is enough – HE is more than enough.
Jesus Christ, our LORD and Savior, HE is our all in all.
This is my prayer, for you and me:
“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21 ESV
* National Institute of Mental Health, 2022, nimh.nih.gov