It’s not an uncommon sight in my office. A person is broken. Maybe it’s because of a mistake of their own, maybe they are getting the raw end of another person’s bad choices, or maybe they are just feeling the negative consequences of living in a broken world. No matter the situation, they have hit bottom.

And at the bottom there is one common feeling–I’m not good enough.

Feeling as though one is not good enough is a tricky feeling because on one hand it is true. You aren’t good enough. None of us are good enough. This is one reason that I’m a Christian and I spend a good amount of time telling people about God. Because we aren’t good enough, we are in need of God’s grace.

Yet when many people think they aren’t good enough, they are thinking in terms of other people. They have fallen for the deception that other people are good enough. They believe the lives of others are perfect and they have failed to live up to the perfect standard of others. It’s false logic. (See: A Dangerous Assumption About God’s Will)

Whenever I talk to people in their most challenging moments, I always try to remind them of three important truths.

Three Truths When You Don’t Feel Good Enough:

1. God is not surprised by you. While we might be shocked by how far our bad decisions can take us down the wrong path, God is not surprised at where we are. By his very definition of being God, He knows all things. There can never be a situation where God is caught off guard. He will never be shocked. The lack of surprise from God should encourage us because it means His word is true. His commands apply no matter our circumstances. While you may not believe where you are and may not know what to do, God is not surprised by you.

2. God does not regret you. Other people might. You might regret many of your own decisions, but God does not regret loving you. It is not uncommon to start a relationship with someone only later to realize they are not the type of person we want to be involved with. Many people have an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend that they are ashamed they dated. It’s easy to assume God feels the same way about us. He loved us, but then we made bad decisions so now he regrets being involved with us. But that isn’t the Biblical story. While God may not approve of your actions, He does not regret loving you and He continues to offer His grace to you.

3. God has a plan for you. When we hit bottom, it can feel as though our situation is hopeless. We can think we are through. But God is never finished with us. As long as we have air in our lungs, God is still working in us. Humanity gives up on God far quicker than God ever gives up on humanity. Thankfully the tendency of God is to do His greatest work in the midst of our darkest days. The times in which we think God would have the least to do with us is often the moment in which God is doing the most around us. No matter where you are, God has a plan for you. (See: Start Making Good Decisions)

These three truths are not only what we need to believe about ourselves, but also what we need to communicate to others. They are true about us and they are true about every person we meet.

Consider someone who might be having a difficult time today. Share this post with them and remind them that these three things are true of you and them.

Book Recommendation

He’s a poet, musician, and lawyer. It’s an odd combination yet those are the first three words which describe my friend Seth Haines. For over twenty years I have highly respected my friend for his love of Jesus, compassion toward others, and a deep wisdom he has regarding life.

One of Seth’s wisest moves was marrying Amber. She is everything Seth is, without his lawyer nerdiness.

Today is an exciting day for Amber as her first book–Wild in the Hollow–releases today. Thankfully Amazon shipped my copy last week so I read much of the book over the weekend. It is excellent.

Amber and I are radically different writers. She is more songwriter–every word is perfect–while I’m more fast-food menu board writer–just tell me the idea and how much it costs. While our styles differ, our desires do not. We want people to grasp the love of God.

Grab a copy of Amber’s book; it will be the best $8 you spend today.