Do you ever feel like “if it’s going to be, it’s up to me”? I’ve felt that way and it’s exhausting. Erica Wiggenhorn and I discussed the tie between self-sufficiency and our fear of inadequacy on a recent episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective podcast. If you missed it, you can listen here [How To Untangle Yourself from the Fear of Inadequacy – Episode 131]. So much of our self-esteem or feeling of inadequacy really comes back to knowing our worth, our true worth. Today, Erica shares with us the secret to understanding your worth.

Read to the end for a book giveaway!

The Secret to Understanding Your Worth
By Erica Wiggenhorn

I’ve never looked at a $100 bill the same since. The speaker stepped onto the platform to give us a teaser as to why we should attend his workshop the next morning. He pulled a crisp one hundred–dollar bill out of his coat pocket. “Tomorrow morning,” he boldly announced, “I will give this away to someone in the audience of my workshop! Is there anyone out there tonight who would like to walk away with this bill in their hand?”.

The crowd of cash starved college students cheered loudly. He then took the brand–new bill and crumpled it up in his fists. He threw it on the ground and stomped all over it with his shiny black shoes. We all sat in dismay over his actions. He bent over, picked it back up, smoothed it out across his pant leg and held it up for us to see, small tears surrounding the edges and creases and black smudges contaminated the bill. “Still want it?” he asked. Most still clapped and cheered and one young man called out, “It’s still $100!”.

He then took the bill and tore it down the middle and again into fourths. A few audible gasps could be heard throughout the packed auditorium. “And now?” as he pulled out a roll of scotch tape, “Still want it?”

Recognizing our true value and worth

How about you? Would you still take it? If your answer is, “It’s still a $100 bill,” then you know a secret many people don’t.

You recognize true value. Whether the bill is crisp and perfect or dirty and crumpled, you still see its value. You resolutely affirm that most things in life come crumpled, crushed or dirty, but that doesn’t make them less worthy or important.

That bill represents our lives. We’ve been crushed by circumstances, stomped on in situations, and maybe completely torn apart. But that hasn’t changed our worth.

And Jesus is that tape that puts us back together again through His death and resurrection and the Holy Spirit living within us. He has pieced us back together, reinstating the broken pieces of our lives into wholeness. Affirming our worth.

The powerful work of Christ in our lives

And that bill now? Which section of that crumpled piece of paper is now the most resilient? The least likely to be torn apart?

You guessed it! Where the tape is! This is the powerful work of Christ in our lives making us ever stronger by His grace. Were there no tears? There would be no tape. This is what Paul meant when he said in 2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ might rest upon me.

The world only wants to see a crisp, tidy version of ourselves. But Jesus wants His bright shiny tape to show the world His power. Those things that you saw as bad? Pieces of your past you lament as limitations? Those are actually divine invitations for Christ’s power to rest upon you.

The secret to understanding your worth

The secret to understanding your worth is knowing Jesus and the sacrifice He made for you because He deemed you worthy!

Do you know Jesus? How has knowing Him helped you appreciate your worth and value? We’d love to hear in the comments below.

 

 

About Erica Wiggenhorn:

Erica Wiggenhorn, AuthorErica Wiggenhorn is an award-winning author and the founder of Every Life Ministries, bringing you the truths of Scripture to transform your life. By digging deeply into God’s Word, Every Life Ministries encourages you to discover your unique purpose, accept God’s promises, and live by His power. Erica is the author of three Bible studies released by Moody Publishers: An Unexplainable Life, The Unexplainable Church, and Unexplainable Jesus: Rediscovering the God you Thought You Knew.

Her latest release Letting God be Enough: Why Striving Keeps You Stuck and How Surrender Sets You Free just hit the shelves. Erica’s first trade book through Moody Publishers examines Moses’ fear of inadequacy and how God invites Moses to rest in his identity and God’s sufficiency.

Erica serves on the women’s ministry leadership team for her church and regularly teaches in various venues. She’s also taught women in the Arizona State Prison system, and overseas. She loves to bring God’s Word to anyone who’ll listen whether it’s a large women’s conference, a church women’s retreat, or her own kitchen table.

A graduate and post-graduate of Azusa Pacific University, Erica lives in Phoenix with her husband, Jonathan, and their four children only two of which are human, and the others furry and adorable. You can connect with her and find out more about her ministry at ericawiggenhorn.com.

Connect with Erica Wiggenhorn: Website / Facebook / Instagram

 

Book Giveaway!

Unstuck Step into the New by Amy JoobIn conjunction with this post and the podcast interview, How To Untangle Yourself from the Fear of Inadequacy – Episode 131, Erica Wiggenhorn is giving away a free copy of her book, Letting God Be Enough: Why Striving Keeps You Stuck and How Surrender Sets You Free.

Leave a comment below sharing with us one thing you’ve learned about understanding your true worth and value and you will be entered into the contest for your chance to win a copy of her book.

You could also share this blog post on Facebook or Twitter then comment here to tell us where you shared it and you’ll also be entered into the drawing.

The winner will be selected at random and announced next Monday, October 25, 2021. Continental United States only.

 

So much of our self-esteem or feeling of inadequacy really comes back to knowing our worth, our true worth. Even though there have been times when we’ve been crushed by circumstances, stomped on in situations, and maybe completely torn apart, our worth has not changed. Erica Wiggenhorn shares the secret she discovered about understanding your worth and recognizing your true value.

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