Did you know that the enemy of your soul wants to make you feel small? He’s a master at wielding the weapons of people, problems, and pain to accomplish this objective. It doesn’t matter whether you're a stay-at-home mom, a corporate CEO, a missionary to a far-flung country, or a student taking it one class at a time, your enemy is routinely looking for ways to make you feel insignificant, unseen, and unfit for the role to which God has called you. He knows that these feelings of inadequacy can become major obstacles, but God empowers us to start overcoming personal barriers that hinder us from stepping fully into His calling.
Signs You're Feeling Small
Here are some tell-tale signs you’ve bought into his suppressing notions of smallness:
When you look around, everyone else seems to have it all together.
Insecurity keeps you from putting yourself out there and giving it a real shot.
You feel jealous of others’ successes.
Discouragement has zapped your strength and keeps your head hung low.
You minimize your accomplishments and the blessings of God in your life.
You’re afraid to dream, to wonder, or to “what if.”
Like a leech, smallness bleeds you dry of spiritual vitality and contentment. It sees scarcity where there is abundance, confusion where there is clarity, and heartache where peace should exist. This can have a profound effect on both faith and mental health, leaving you spiritually and emotionally drained.
God's View on Smallness
Did you know that God speaks directly to feelings of smallness? Zechariah 4:10a says, “Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin” (NLT). To put this verse in its proper context, the prophet Zechariah is talking to the recently freed Jewish people who are rebuilding the temple following a long period of captivity in Babylon. The problem is this new temple pales in comparison to the glory of the former. The result: God’s people are discouraged at the smallness of what they see and are subsequently giving up on the work to which God called them. It’s clear that comparison robs contentment, often becoming one of the toughest personal barriers to overcome.
How Comparison and Expectations Make You Feel Small
Do you know what else makes you feel small? Unmet expectations. The moment your perfect new baby shows signs of a sin nature and calls into question your parenting skills, you feel small. The first time middle management snubs your leadership decisions, you feel small. The point at which your ministry hits a stretch when you can’t see God at work, you feel small. And the instant you question your usefulness to God because of your youth, you feel small.
It’s easy to feel small when you come face-to-face with the reality that you can’t control life’s outcomes, the timing in which things happen, or the results of your efforts. And when you feel small, it’s natural to want to prop yourself up by making others around you feel small. We do this by yelling at our kids, lording over our employees, disengaging with those God sent us to minister to, and minimizing opportunities for fear of not being useful or enough. This destructive cycle not only affects our spiritual life but also deeply impacts our faith and mental health.
Christ's Power in Overcoming Your Barriers
But, friend, God came to raise you up from smallness. Because of Jesus, you are enough! You have a purpose, dignity, worth, and a calling in Him. Where your enemy says, "You are not enough," Christ says, "You have more than enough" (2 Corinthians 9:8). Where your enemy says, "It’s not possible," Christ says, "With Me, all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). Where your enemy says, "Who are you to . . .,” Christ says, “I see you, and I have called you to this” (2 Timothy 1:12).
Remember Who You Are in Christ
Do you need to hear today that in Christ you are enough, that you can keep going if you choose to do it in the strength God provides, and that He sees you right where you are? He is not a God who is far away. He longs to be the lifter of your weary head and the keeper of your worn-out heart.
Take a Stand Against the Enemy's Lies
So let His voice be your clarion call, reverberating louder than your enemy’s. When the father of lies attempts to trap you in smallness, remind him of your priceless value in the eyes of God (Psalm 139). When the great accuser shoves your past in your face, tell him that you know your true standing—forgiven and clean because of the blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:7). When the enemy attempts to stop you or slow you down through thoughts of comparison, inadequacy, or discouragement, remind him that you serve a God who’s working all things together for your good. Remind the enemy of your soul that you serve a God whose time and ways are always perfect (Romans 8:28, Isaiah 55:8-9).
Finding Strength to Overcome Personal Barriers
If you feel too small for your call today, pause and invite God to give you His perspective. I promise you, it changes everything. And in that shift, you'll find yourself overcoming personal barriers with His strength.
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