[by Barb Smith] I hadn’t been feeling well, still,  I was determined to have a nice supper for our family gathering.

I  had rested in bed most of the day and managed to prepare a couple of dishes in the evening thinking I would finish the rest of my preparations the next day.

Morning came and my strength continued to wane. Then it began, the barrage of self-degrading thoughts:

“What is wrong with me?” 

“Why can’t I get anything done?” 

“I just can’t keep up with things!”

“I’m not a good organizer!”

Once again, I had given in to the onslaught of verbal abuse listing my failures. I thought of the women I knew, such as Diane, who would have completed her preparations by now; sitting in her favourite chair and  enjoying a cup of coffee until guests arrived.

I leaned over the counter to rest my head and was reminded of a statement I learned at a seminar a while back. I promised to use it when I was about to give myself a verbal lashing. And I was about to give myself a good one.

I spoke out loud, “Stop it!  I am enough, I do enough and I am good enough!

The expectations I put on myself are often unrealistic becoming a yoke (burden) around my neck that I cannot carry. Jesus said, “come to me all you who are burdened and heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NASB).

The need to prove my value to  other women has been a destructive one. Jesus said, “take my yoke upon you .. and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29 NASB).

The yoke I am to carry is this truth, “I am of great value and there isn’t anything I can do to make myself worthy of His love.” I can wear this yoke without it causing me any discomfort.

For the first time, I stopped the recurring scenarios of verbal abuse. Supper plans were cancelled even though it was already noon. I knew I couldn’t pull it off and it was ok.

I was not any less of a woman because I had failed. Being superwoman didn’t make God love me more. Comparing myself to other woman hadn’t accomplished much either.

In the midst of a day when I couldn’t get it all done, I took decisive action to stop (Stop it!) and declare, “I am enough, I do enough, I am good enough!”

Accepting my limitations and knowing I did my best gave me peace.  I had done the right thing and my sense of value remained intact.

Am I enough?

I am covered by God’s grace. His blood was spilled over my sin (failures and shortcomings).  I am “beloved,”  accepted by God. There is nothing between me and God — no strings attached!

On the cross, Christ’s last agonizing cry was, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). The exchange was complete.  His perfection for my imperfection.

“It is finished” and “I am enough!”