I DID NOT CALL YOU TO BE SELF-RELIANT. I CALLED YOU TO DEPEND ON ME.

“For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.’” Isaiah 41:13

Self-confidence is a popular idea in the world today. It has been for quite some time. Trust in yourself. Believe you have what it takes. Push harder. Dig deeper. You are a winner. You are the best. You are special.

This is what the world tells you. This is what you’re led to believe. But it doesn’t work. You know for yourself that you are far from perfect. You know that, on most days, you fall short. You mess up on a regular basis.

And that’s okay.

I know you intimately. I know your weaknesses and shortcomings. I know where you fail, where you struggle, and where you stumble. And I love you in the midst.

Let me tell you, one of the worst things you can do is to rely on yourself. That’s not the way I made you. That’s not how I designed you.

That is too heavy of a burden for you to bear.

You are human. You are broken. You are a work in progress. You are a masterpiece that is not yet finished. I am working on you. I am teaching you. You are far from perfect. And that is okay.

For in your weakness, I am here to carry you. In your brokenness, I am here to cover you. In your dark days, I am here to protect you. In your confusion, I am here to guide you. In your sin, I am here to forgive you. And in all, I am here to love you.

I made you to be dependent on me.

So instead of self-reliance, what about self-compassion in its place? On those bad days, instead of beating yourself up or wallowing in self-pity, what if you looked in the mirror and said, “That was a tough day. But it’s okay. I’m human. I’m not perfect. And I serve a good God who covers me.”

You don’t need to perform for me. You don’t need to “look the part.” You don’t need to be the best or the greatest. You just need to be you.

I love you.

— God

NEXT STEPS:

  • Do you sometimes struggle with the idea of forgiveness? Read this article to find answers to some of the toughest questions as they relate to God’s love and His ability to forgive.

  • Do you have other questions about your faith? We have collected as many questions as we could, sorted them into groups, and written out answers. You can find them here.

  • Have you yet to give your life to Christ? Or maybe you have strayed away from Him. Turn to Him now. His grace and love is sufficient. Learn how here.