“You Are Good Enough for God”.

A Reminder for Walking the Unlikely Narrow Road

I think most of us (if not everyone) have asked God at some point to hurry up with the plans that he promised. Especially the one in Jeremiah 29:11. Or, if he could quickly get us through a phase of life, mostly the hard seasons. I thank God that he is an ever-present father always there to listen and respond. However, his responses are not always what we expect and this reality for some of us is life altering. Realizing that the specific good plans you were looking forward to are beyond earthly or that the hard season that you thought was a phase is actually going to be the reality of your life going forward, the big question becomes, What then? What do you do when you find yourself acquainted with the shadows in the holy place and you clearly see the writings on the wall “buckle up”? And of course, there is also “take heart, I have overcome the world”. But then you are even too confused to see that part.

This is the reality of some of us, the broken vessels that said “yes” to Jesus and got adopted into God’s family while our cracks remained in their place. Of course, sanctification is happening, and there is a real and beautiful change that comes with Christ’s presence in a person’s life which for me continues to be the best part of my walk with Jesus. Yet somehow, this process is often treated as insufficient mostly by those around us, and sometimes by ourselves. Especially, when we are in communities where there are not only expectations but also profiles of how a vessel in God’s family should appear: whole, refined and definitely without a specific kind of cracking.

From my experience, I have found that the underlying issue was not that I was having to walk with God with the very specific cracks (actually, that is going very fine and I continue to grow in Christ and experience Him in ways I could have never imagined possible). Rather, the big issue, is the challenge of finding encouragement and flourishing in my Christian community without feeling alienated and in some cases de-Christianized for acknowledging my cracks. As much as this might not seem as a big deal to some people, for me, I see it as a major one. The reason being, my understanding is that God did not just give us the Holy Spirit; he also gave us each other. That is why I believe in the gift of community.

I see the Christian community as a space where the weak are made strong, the broken are restored and the prodigals come home. A space where we confess to one another and bear each other’s burdens as we move in unity towards Christlikeness. Unfortunately, this is not always the reality we experience. What often emerges instead is a painful experience of double-standards within the community: a space where some are free to confess, to wrestle openly, and to be met with patience and care, while others are quietly restricted to silence, masked as protection. Their confessions are treated as “no-go zones,” not because they fall outside the reach of God’s grace, but because they make people uncomfortable or feel threatened.

This selective bearing of burdens feels less like protection and more like betrayal, because it is a denial of the very mutuality scripture calls us into. When honesty becomes conditional, community stops being a place of healing and begins to mirror exclusion. And for those of us who live with this tension daily, the weight of it is heavier than the cracks themselves. For same sex attracted Christians, I believe this might hit home. Because even though we have different experiences and backgrounds, I do believe most of us have this in common “growing up sacrificing authenticity in hopes of minimizing humiliation, prejudice and in unfortunate cases physical harm”. I grieve with those who have to experience this as adults, especially within church communities, because it should not be this way. I say this because the Church is meant to be a sanctuary — a place where everyone feels safe, seen, and loved — not a space where hiding feels necessary, or where walking on eggshells and living in fear guarantees belonging. It is disappointing and discouraging because that is not a reflection of Christ’s own heart. Jesus calls His Church to choose compassion over comfort and to love people deeply. And I think sometimes we all forget that loving people the Jesus way means our love does not depend on who people are or how we feel about them, but on who we are in Christ. My prayer for you and for myself, is that we do not fall into a place where we believe the lie that had convinced us “it was and is safer to hide” cause that’s where sin thrives; in environments of secrecy and shame.

 I learned some months back that sometimes it is okay to slow down and to not only acknowledge but also grieve the reality that we may not always experience the gift of community as fully as we long to. I have also learned this truth: no earthly relationship was ever meant to carry the weight of all our needs and satisfy them. Only Jesus can and He alone! Though this truth sometimes makes it feel it like it is only the likes of us that have been deprived of so much, uncertain of whether that’s true or not or if it’s even a helpful thought. I am certain of this; God will always find ways to refresh our souls and renew our strength. I do not always know how He will do it, but I have seen Him do it and I trust that He will continue in His faithfulness.

In the meantime, I hold onto the promise of Revelation 21:3–5. It reminds me of a coming day, when God Himself will dwell among His people, when every tear will be wiped away, when death, mourning, oppression, and pain will be no more. All the wrongs will be made right…but it’s not today as today may still hurt. I encourage you to keep persevering and reminding yourself “You are good enough for God” because he chose you. Hang in there; Help is on the way.