I saw a meme last week that stated, “It is crazy how social media has convinced us that 15 likes are not enough. Imagine how you would feel if 15 people complimented you in real life.” In a lot of ways, social media has ruined our sense of self and watered down and illegitimates the Gospel message that you are loved, that you are enough. This week in this contemplation on the spiritual practice of You, I want to demonstrate how you are enough.
The Foundation: Created in God’s Image
The Bible as always will guide my discussion this week, I want to reflect on Genesis 1:27 and Psalm 139:4. In Genesis 1:27, the author describes how humanity is crafted in the image of God—imparting innate dignity and worth to every person. Psalm 139:4 echoes this, expressing the intimacy and depth of God’s knowledge of us, assuring that each of us is seen and cherished before a word is even on our tongue. These verses invite us to internalize a foundational truth: our value is not measured by external affirmation but by our creation and belovedness in God’s eyes. This intimacy continues into the New Testament with Jesus famously calls God, “Abba”.
While I don’t believe the bible tells us anything, I do believe that the bible enlightens us and challenges us in several ways, it points out that God’s love is not based on our achievements and more importantly, God’s love is unconditional. The bible is replete with examples of God embracing imperfect people. I have found as a pastor and a therapist that many people struggle with these concepts especially given the authoritarian God narrative we have inherited.
Jesus’ Message: Worthiness and Acceptance
On my way to work, I was thinking of the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. This story has been my example of how to be a therapist since I decided to go back into the field of therapy. Here, Jesus demonstrates God’s knowingness and willingness to listen to us in such a way that collects information and then respond without judgment. Here, Jesus through the process of active listening gets to know the woman enough to offer council without being pushy or disrespectful. In doing so, the woman receives council with grace and acceptance as far we can tell from the way the story is written.
This story is not a standalone story in the Gospels. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus repeatedly shows compassion to marginalized people, proving that everyone’s worth comes from being known and loved by God, not from status or past actions. Stories like the healing of the blind beggar and accepting Zacchaeus reveal how grace challenges social hierarchies and affirms each person’s value. These accounts remind us our sense of belonging is rooted in a tradition that sees both our flaws and strengths, encouraging us to reject cultural messages of inadequacy and embrace true acceptance.
Confronting Doubt and Insecurity
About a year ago, I wrote about doubt as a spiritual practice. Here, I offered these thoughts: Doubt as a practice is related to the spiritual practice of wonder, which I have written about. In the two posts noted here, I lean heavily on my training as a Social Worker and as a Mental Health Therapist. I am heavily influenced by humanistic psychology. I am also heavily influenced by the several traditions that shape my practices as a contemplative. In both worlds, doubt and wonder hold hands and explore the depths of the known and unknown playfully.
Doubt is necessary in our relationships with one another. From the human development side of things, leaning into Erik Erikson, three stages come to mind: Trust vs. Mistrust, Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt, and Identity vs. Role confusion. In reality however, all of Erikson’s stages has the person wrestling with some form of doubt.
As an observer of humanity, all the electronic mediums we get our information from seeds doubt. In the previous generations, it was teen magazines, after school specials and other forms of propaganda. There are countless charlatans and posers in the world trying to sell you on some way of living, some scheme to get more money and even bad theological schemes to get right with God. In a world so often shadowed by messages of inadequacy, it is easy to internalize the notion that our worth depends on performance or the fleeting approval of others.
When we instead dig into our faith in a deeper, more contemplative level, we will find a liberating narrative – one where our doubts become doorways to deeper trust, and where our imperfections are met with divine grace rather than judgment.
Insecurity again from my therapist’s observation is strongly influenced by our earliest experiences with our parents and then again with a variety of life events along the way. By recognizing these common roots of insecurity—be they societal pressures, personal failures, or the silent comparisons that haunt our thoughts—we can begin to respond not with self-condemnation, but with the steadfast assurance that comes from being held in God’s unwavering love. Faith, then, is not a denial of our struggles but an anchor amid uncertainty, guiding us to rediscover our inherent value and inspiring us to cultivate practices—such as prayer, reflection, and compassionate community—that affirm our enoughness in the eyes of the Divine.
To Close – Practical Steps to Embrace Our “Enoughness”
So, how do you cultivate “enoughness” when you just are not feeling it? To close, I want to offer some practical ways we can begin to embrace our “enoughness”.
- Prayer and meditation on self-worth – turning back to our scriptural references earlier and sitting in lectio with these and other verses can help raise our awareness of God’s love for us, despite all the verse people like to lean into about God’s wrath and anger towards us. Jesus demonstrates a more intimate God. Jesus as God’s son models for us a more loving and connected relationship with God.
- Surrounding ourselves with uplifting, faith-filled community – Going to church is good for our mental health. Of course, I could tell you as a therapist, that as social animals, we need people, especially people who will support us and lift us up – even when things are no going so well.
- Affirming our value through scripture and service – When I was considering this point yesterday, I was thinking about several ideas: the attitude of gratitude, the power of lectio and the power of prayer. The prayer that came to mind in particular, which may seem counterintuitive was the Jesus prayer. “Jesus have mercy on me, a sinner”. Praying and mediating on this prayer brings awareness of God’s saving grace in our life, our “enoughness” in God’s eyes despite all our failings. Scripture then only affirms this message.
To close, you are enough. Your path may have been rocky and perhaps you have made some questionable decisions in life, but God is still waiting, running after you with open arms, just like the dad did in the parable of the lost son. You will always have a seat at Jesus’ table. YOU ARE ENOUGH.
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