January 11: Moving Beyond ‘Not Good Enough’

Gregg’s Reflection

For much of my life, the words “not good enough” seemed etched into my soul. They were not always spoken outright, but they were implied in tone and in absence—most notably in my relationship with my father. I now understand he carried deep wounds of his own, shaped by loss, hardship, and war. As Richard Rohr says, wounded people wound others. Still, the message I absorbed was that my worth was conditional, and even success in the family business could not erase the ache.

For years I tried to outrun that lie through achievement. It wasn’t until I began doing deep inner work—what some call shadow work—that I began to see the truth. Studying with Robert Fritz helped me understand the structures that were shaping my choices. I came to recognize that I was trying to be my own savior, laboring to earn an acceptance that was already mine in God. That realization opened the door to a truer relationship with God, one rooted in grace rather than performance.

As I leaned into my gifting and calling, the lie began to lose its hold. I discovered that my worth was not something to be earned—it was given. Moving beyond “not good enough” is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing journey of receiving God’s truth over and over, allowing it to take deeper root each time.

Scripture

Without human receptiveness and faithfulness, God’s gifts are wasted.

RENOVARE Bible notes on Judges 13

If we are willing to respond to the opportunities God places in our path, instead of saying we are not good enough; if we are able to respond to the nudges from God’s Word and Spirit, rather than make excuses based on our negative self-evaluation; if we are stubborn enough to persevere in following Christ despite our mistakes—then God, through us, can carve a furrow through this earth’s murky waters and leave a shimmering residue of hope and faith in our wake.

RENOVARE Bible notes on Luke 9:20

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Psalm 139:14

Ancient Quotes

“Remember, the smallest of souls is still the daughter of the Father, the sister of the Son, the friend of the Holy Spirit and the true bride of the Trinity.” — Mechtild of Magdeburg, Meditations with Mechtild, p. 46

Modern Quotes

“If we don’t heal and transform our wounds, we will wound others. Wounded people wound others. If we don’t transform our pain, we will transmit it.” — Richard Rohr, Living School Teaching

Journaling Prompts

• Where do you most struggle with feelings of “not good enough”?
  
  
• How does God’s truth speak against that lie in your life?
  
  
• What might change if you fully embraced your worth in Christ?
  
  
• In what ways are negative self-image and self-talk keeping you from living into your true self, your gifting, and your calling as the beloved?

👉 Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 2 reflection: Bearing Fruit/Gifts of the Spirit