Fearfully and Wonderfully made
Created on purpose
Uniquely designed with love
Within and without 

My flaws are for His purpose
My strengths for His glory
His grace is sufficient for me
His power made perfect in my weakness 

I do not feel able
Eloquence evades me
Fortitude is nowhere to be found
Are you enough? My mockers scoff 

My strides are not great
Boldness hides from me
A revolution I do not propel
I do not feel enough  

Praise God! I am His masterpiece
Created on purpose for His good pleasure
Hidden in Him I am able
Relying on Him I have strength 

Feelings lie but I am enough
My soul trusts in His ways
Uniquely designed with love
Fearfully and wonderfully made

Growing up, I was always that quiet kid who had her nose buried in books. I read all the time and everywhere. In the bathroom. At the dinner table. Anywhere. But although I’m only one of two children, I grew up with three of my girl cousins who always came over to stay especially during the holidays.

Maybe this is why, for a long time, I didn’t know that I was an introvert. I knew I was shy – I figured that out quickly whenever there was a family celebration and I’d have to meet relatives. Cue the sweaty palms.   

By the time university rolled around though, I had figured out that I was different from everyone else (as I saw it). I didn’t mind spending time with people but I’m just as happy, happier even, on my own. I’d always felt awkward amongst groups of people and I avoided with a passion anything that meant I was the center of attention. 

After my first degree, I went on to complete my PhD in medicine and boy, was the introverted side of me tried. As is often the case in academia, students were required to take part in regular departmental journal clubs to present new data from their work or their field. As you can imagine, the thought of standing up in front of people to deliver a presentation petrified me. 

Somewhere between getting married and raising children over the last 10 years, I grew more comfortable in my own skin and in my own head. I think between lack of sleep and all the other things motherhood throws at you, I just stopped focusing on it. My feelings of inadequacy didn’t completely go away but with maturity comes a certain confidence and so for the most part, I started to ‘own’ this aspect of my personality.

However, those old feelings of inadequacy reared their heads again this year with all the heartbreaking news of racial strife and tension in the news. 

Except this time around, I didn’t only feel inadequate, I also felt powerless. People were writing books. Some were marching in protests. Individuals were taking the stage and displaying acts of boldness. And when I compared myself to them, I didn’t measure up. I felt I wasn’t doing enough. 

I don’t think I’m alone in this. We are all guilty of it. 

Comparison. 

Maybe yours isn’t comparing yourself with people who appear bolder than you. But I bet you’ve compared yourself to that friend who seemingly somehow has it all together/is achieving great things/fill in the blank as appropriate. 

This time around, instead of feeling defeated and accepting the mantle of “less-than-enough”, I turned to the scriptures. 

I was led to Psalm 139:14, “I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well”.

This verse tells me that everything that makes me ‘me’ is fearfully and wonderfully made. And that includes my personality.

God doesn’t make mistakes, so if I’m introverted then that must be for a reason (Isaiah 55:8-9). Comparing myself with others not only shortchanges me but by doing so, I deny myself the joy of being the best version of me that I can be in Christ. 

Moses was not the best orator of his time and yet God chose him to confront the most powerful ruler at the time (Exodus 4:10). Wouldn’t it have made more sense for God to send Aaron instead of his stammering brother? But anyone who’s stuck with the book of Exodus to the end knows that Aaron was easily cowed by the children of Israel (remember the golden calf incident in Exodus 32?) whilst Moses seemed to be the only one who could put up with their incessant grumbling. He didn’t give in to them but took his complaints and worries to God. 

Perhaps these integral aspects of us that we consider not enough, appear that way because we are looking at ourselves ‘out of context’. The bible says, “For in Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). We were not created to be self-sufficient, yet too often we make the mistake of reviewing our abilities in isolation and trying to do things in our own power or do things we haven’t been called to. 

If we are truly in God and draw on His strength whenever we have need, then we can do ALL things. Even those things that make your knees quake and your palms slick with fear. 

Phil 4:19 (AMP) – a favourite scripture of mine reminds us that,

“I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]”

In Him, we are enough. He is willing to pick up the slack of whatever we lack.

However, we must take care to run only the race set before us and not others. I especially like the amplified translation of Phil 4:19 because it qualifies the phrase “all things’ with “…which He has called me to do…”. Do that which the Lord has called you to do even if doesn’t seem to be as trailblazing as someone else. 

1 Cor 12:18-19 (AMP) sums this up well, “…But now [as things really are], God has placed and arranged the parts in the body, each one of them, just as He willed and saw fit [with the best balance of function]”.

You were created just as you are on purpose. You may not feel that way but God’s word – the Truth – says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. That means He took great care to create you just as you are! In Christ, you are enough for whatever God has called you to do. He’s ready to infuse you with strength, you need only ask Him.

This post has been shared on the following blog link-ups – Recharge Wednesday, Let’s Have Coffee!, Tune in Thursday and Heart Encouragement.

(Image credit: Swapnll Dwivedi from Unsplash)