You're Too Hard On Yourself

Key Thought | God never asked us to perform for His approval. He already decided we were enough when He created us in His image.

Key Scripture | “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them.” — Genesis 1:27

“You’re too hard on yourself.” I heard those words from my doctor on a Wednesday afternoon, and again from my hairdresser the next morning. Twice in 24 hours.
 
Okay, God, I hear You.

I spent some time talking to Him about it, and I feel like I finally caught a glimpse of His heart for me.

The truth is, I’ve been carrying the weight of the world, and it was never mine to carry. Or yours.
 
We live in a fast-paced, high-demand, quick-response culture where results are expected instantly and comparison is constant. It’s exhausting trying to keep up with everyone else’s “perfect” life online while just doing my best to hold my own together behind the scenes.

For women, the expectations can feel endless: raise the kids with love and patience, keep the house spotless, cook healthy meals (bonus points if they’re high-protein and low-carb), work full-time, stay fit, and somehow look like we did ten years ago, all while smiling through it.
 
And men aren’t getting a pass either. The world tells them to be strong but gentle, successful yet humble, to provide without complaint, to fix every broken thing around the house and every worry in our hearts. They’re expected to lead spiritually, love sacrificially, and never show signs of stress or weakness. That’s a heavy burden too. No wonder we’re all tired!

But I’ve realized God never asked me to perform for His approval or prove my worth. He already decided I was enough when He created me.
 
Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them.”
 
If I’m made in His image, why do I keep trying so hard to be the best at everything? When did simply being His creation stop feeling like enough?

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
 
He prepared the works. He already made the plan. It doesn’t say I have to run myself ragged or beat myself up for not doing enough, being enough, or having enough.

And then there’s Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

That tells me I can trust His plan. I don’t have to strive so hard, or measure myself against anyone else. My worth isn’t based on how much I do or how perfectly I do it. It’s already secure in Him.

This is something I’m still learning. I still have more days than I’d like when I fall back into old habits of overthinking, overworking, or feeling like I’m not enough. But I’m learning to pause, to breathe, and to remind myself that He never asked me to carry all of this alone. There is an almost weightless feeling when I allow Him to carry me. He’s not asking for perfection; He’s asking for my heart. Maybe that’s what He’s been trying to tell me all along: “You’re too hard on yourself. Just rest in Me.”

Prayer | Lord, thank You for reminding me that I am not the glue that holds the world together. Forgive me for when I try to carry what was never mine to hold. Teach me to rest in You and to see myself the way You see me. Help me let go of the pressure, the comparison, and the impossible standards, and instead walk in the peace that comes from knowing I am enough because I am Yours. Amen.

Reflection | Where in your life have you been striving for worth that’s already been given to you? Ask God to help you release the pressure to perform and rest in His approval today.

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