Am I adequate enough? I ponder this often as a wife, mother, and child of the one true King. The definition of adequate according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is:
1. enough
2. good enough
Do I as a wife and mother fit this particular bill? Psalm 139:14 in the ESV says: "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." If I believe God's word to be truth, then YES I am adequate. I do believe in HIS word and its sovereignty. The lies I tell myself about being inadequate or not good enough are from the devil. The devil seeks to tear us down; since we live in the world Satan uses worldly things to tear us down. For instance we may feel that we don't cook or clean as well as others due to what we see is advertisements, magazines or television.
As a woman I tend to compare myself to other women. This destroys myself confidence. When I allow other people's views to determine how I see myself and not God's word I get crushed. I tend to get caught up in comparing how other mom's parent their children. For example, so and so has it all together because when they are out and about their kids listen so well; she doesn't even have to raise her voice. Being a mom for almost 9 years now I can honestly say that we all have our days. There are days my kids are the angels in Walmart, but there are other days they are the ones screaming in aisle 4. Only screaming because I said no to something not on the list.
It is intimidating to see other women who seem to have the whole exercise thing down. I would like to think that I exercise, but then I see the wife who has 3 plus kids and looks like she could be in high school. I am not thin, and I allow the thoughts of my non-thinness to creep into my mind. I question am I good enough for my husband? Am I still attractive even though I don't have the body I used to have when we first got together. I am reminded to look to God's word for my self worth. His word says over and over again that I am beautiful.
Song of Solomon (SOS) 1:15 says: "Behold, you are beautiful, my love; behold, you are beautiful." It is so important for me to know this that scripture says it twice in one verse!! Then in the next verse SOS 1:16 the scripture goes on to say: "Behold, you are beautiful, my beloved, truly delightful." So not only and I beautiful, I am delightful!! What wonderful words God has for us. To build us up in Christ, not tear us down. Being a believer in Christ means that I need to find who I am in Him, not in worldly things. I need to look to Him for the answer to my ultimate question, "Am I adequate enough?"
God made us all in His image. He has and will make us beautiful, each in our own way. His word says so. Look in Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He has made everything beautiful in it's time." So my time might not be today, but God's timing is perfect. The scripture says that when God made us, He saw that it was good, very good!! (Genesis 1:31) We as believers in Christ need to remember to look to Him to fulfill our needs. His truth will allow us to know how beautiful, lovely, and wonderful we are. We are fearfully and wonderfully made by a God who loves us and tells us in every page of His word.
As a woman of God I need to seek His face so that I may find mine. My beautifully adequate self in my saviour. It is easy to get caught up in the rat race of adequacy living here on planet earth. As a home maker the struggle can be; did I clean enough? Were the meals I prepared liked? and Did I get their favorite piece of clothing washed? Colossians 3:23 says: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."
Being a woman of faith I need to do all my homemaking unto the Lord and I will find I am adequate enough in the Lord Jesus Christ.
