Sow & Gather

When You Just Can't Measure Up

joyMarci AnthonyComment
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We live in a world where the opposite of good is not bad; it's "not good enough." 

Many of us devoted hours of the month of August to watching the Olympic Games. I saw the heartbreak of second place over and over again. I simply ask myself why. Why does coming in second, third, or last have to steal the competitors' joy? I can't begin to imagine the hard work, hours, grit, determination, money, and sacrifice it takes to compete at that level. There's a singular goal in mind, and when that goal is not achieved, does joy go away? 

I know I'm not competing on a world stage. Even in my everyday tasks, I suffer from the falsehood of "not good enough." Maybe I don't allow the world to dictate I'm a "bad" mom, but I do allow the world to dictate that I'm "not good enough" as a mom (wife, sister, friend, co-worker, boss, employee). 

I fail. I often fail miserably.

Here's the deal, I get up and start over every morning. I don't want to get up and start over. There are days I want nothing more than to snuggle into the pillow and forget my responsibilities, my failures, and even my successes.  

There have been times in my life where there was joy-void a mile wide. I allowed circumstances to control my joy. A time where I constantly lived in the shadow of "not good enough" and let the world rob me of joy. 

Are you there today? Have you been beaten down by the world saying "you're just not good enough"? 

In the middle of a period of constant frustration with life, I clung to John 10:10. I come so that you might have life more abundantly. The verse was so simple, it seemed to commit to my memory by osmosis. At the time, I didn't know what to do with that verse. It was there in my mind and over many years worked itself into my heart. 

The verse is a picture of God's desire for us to have Joy in Him. Not in the things of this world. But, in His abundance. We cannot find joy on our own. We can't earn it; we can't be good enough. And, we can't be bad enough to be robbed of joy. 

In the midst of the struggles and stresses of life, we have to have something to cling to. Find your joy in Christ. Know with all your heart that God's desire is for you to hold onto joy in the hard days and the easy days. Joy is always available. Joy only hides when we allow it.  

If you have questions about how you can find joy in Christ, please visit I Am Second.

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John 15

Action Item |

Write down three things you are grateful for today and post it on your mirror. 

Prayer |

Dear Heavenly Father, I know that I just don't measure up to the world's standards of winner, best, or number one. Lord, help me to accept that I am not measured by the world's standards, but by the grace of God that covers my imperfections. Lord, bring joy to my life and my household today. Amen. 

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