Faith

Imposter Syndrome

by Curt Klingeman
10/06/19
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Do you ever feel like an imposter, you know, pretending to be someone or something you’re not? Perhaps, you’re in a new leadership position (or been in one for a long time) and people are looking to you to lead. Regardless of the setting, you feel completely unqualified to be there. Relax, many experience this phenomenon. Why do you suppose you feel that way? To small degree it can be attributed to pride, even though it may feel like humility. In simple terms, it has to do with self-confidence, and that means you’re relying on yourself, instead of God. Of course, this feeling known as imposter syndrome, has a silver lining: it causes people to run to God for help. It can lead you to humility.

   Society teaches everyone should be self-confident, which is a counterfeit to real confidence. It’s an attack on our identity. When you try to gain self-confidence, you shift away from your true identity. Now you are working to be reliant on yourself, instead of God. You begin by comparing yourself with others, which is a bad idea, especially if you feel like you don’t measure up to someone. The next thing you know, you’re trying to emulate that person, or become another version of him or her. Guess what, you’re not supposed to be like anyone else, except Jesus. This is when you exit the place of rest and find yourself striving to be someone you’re not. Instead of conforming to the image of Jesus, you start trying to live up to other people’s expectations. You cannot do what you’re not designed to do; much less, be someone else. You are designed a specific way for specific purposes. There are things only they can accomplish, and that means you’re not supposed to take on other people’s calling. When trying to gain self-confidence, you will seek to create a new identity. Do you know what your true identity is supposed to look like? What makes you think anyone else would know? Essentially, trying build self-confidence is putting confidence in the flesh. Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh (read verses 3-14). So what is true confidence?

   It is having confidence in the One Who lives in you, trusting He placed in you everything you need, so there’s nothing more you to add. You simply need to use what you’ve been given. It’s understanding promotion comes from the Lord (Psalm 75:4-7), and if He places you in a position, He has given you what’s required to fulfill that role. More importantly, it’s’ a joint venture, which means you’re in it with Him. That’s right, He is with you. Consider these passages of Scripture: In Whom (Christ) are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. For in Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power (Colossians 2:3, 9-10). Since He lives in you, you have access to infinite wisdom, understanding and of course, knowledge. 2 Peter 1:3-4 According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. You are qualified because God says so, not because you feel competent. It boils down to a simple phrase: “You are who God says you are, and you can do what He says you can do.” Humility knows its Source, it doesn’t try to create one.

   Having Holy Spirit in you, answers the question: “Am I enough?” Unequivocally, yes, because He is infinitely more than enough. That is a major advantage a disciple of Jesus Christ has over a non-believer. The non-believer is stuck with self-confident issues; unless he or she receives Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. What’s interesting is many non-believers have accomplished great things, but their abilities to do them came from God. The majority of them, if not all, feel incomplete in spite of what they’ve done. You, on the other hand, are complete in Him. Ask God to show you the real you in Jesus Christ, which is how He sees you -then believe Him!  

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