The burden of inadequacy

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28).

At one time or another, everyone is burdened with inadequacy.  You know you shouldn’t smoke, but you do it anyway.  You wish that you could be strong under pressure, but you frequently dissolve in tears.  You want to be a good person, but people always talk you into doing the wrong thing.  You know that you should be patient, but your temper burns on a short fuse. The problems of life frequently overwhelm you.  Your weaknesses make you wonder what other people see in you.  It’s easy to give up on your own goals and just let life sweep you along like a leaf that falls in the river. You are burdened with knowing that you just don’t have what it takes.

Some people, when they feel inadequate, overcompensate with bluff and bluster.  They put up a false front, pretending to be confident and sure of themselves.  They question other peoples’ motives, because they see their failings in everyone around them.  They are slow to give their trust, because they expect everyone to be weak and undependable.  Others who feel inadequate allow themselves to become doormats.  They cling to anyone who accepts them, even those who abuse or take advantage of them, because they feel lucky to have any relationships at all.  They wallow in self-pity, leaving them isolated and alone.  But pity is no basis for a relationship with others, and no one likes associating with a blowhard, either.  No matter how you respond to it, feeling worthless is a burden.

Jesus said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  One of the burdens He lifts from us is the burden of inadequacy.  The Son of God walked among us for a third of a century; He understands the challenges that each of us face.  He offers us the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts.  The Spirit gives us strength to resist the temptation to do wrong, and encourages us to try again when we fail. The Spirit helps us to be patient with those who disappoint us, and forgive them instead of getting mad.  The Spirit helps us admit our shortcomings, so that we will cling to God for our help and support.  And the Spirit helps us to realize that we have tremendous worth—God gave His own Son to the cross so that we could be His children always. 

You don’t have to live under the burden of feeling inadequate.  God loves you and wants to shape you into an incredible person.  You can rest easy, knowing that God is with you.