Everything around you, and inside you, is screaming that you have to measure up. You need to meet a certain standard. You need to achieve something.

They are all wrong.

Those voices either crush you because you fail, or turn you into a proud, self-righteous person. Neither leads anywhere good.

So, those voices aren’t just wrong. They’re destructive.

Jesus told a story specifically about people who “feel good enough.” Here’s how it starts:

Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. (Luke 18:10)

Pharisees were impressive, successful, and respected people. Particularly in religious circles. Tax collectors were people known for betrayal, greed and self-interest. They were hated by others around them, unpopular, and not good at all. Jesus goes on:

The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ (Luke 18:11-12)

“Thank you that I’m good enough… not like him” is basically what this guy prays—because that’s the way he thinks.

The tax collector prays very differently:

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ (Luke 18:13)

The tax collector did not feel good enough. And he simply recognised that before God. He didn’t even “confess” all the details (or any in fact). He just recognised he’s not good enough and needs God to give him mercy.

Jesus makes his opinion unambiguous:

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 18:14)

You don’t feel good enough—because you’re not.

Neither am I. Neither is anyone else. This is exactly why God sent Jesus. It’s why Jesus died. Why would he have to die if everyone was fine and all sorted? He died because God wants to give you far better things than you deserve—now and forever.

There’s nothing wrong with you for seeing this about yourself—you actually have far deeper insight than most people. Because none of us are good enough, and we all need mercy and forgiveness.

But not being good enough doesn’t mean we don’t matter. In fact—paradoxically—it’s precisely because we’re not good enough that we do matter. For more on that listen to this: Why Does My Life Matter?

God doesn’t want you to try and be good enough. He doesn’t need anything from you either. He just wants to give forgiveness to you freely. He made you to receive gifts from him freely, purely because of his kindness. Not because you’re “good enough.”

In this life, he gives his gifts to you through his Word. That’s how God works in the world today. And that’s why he put the church on the earth: as the place where he’s promised to meet you in his Word, with his gifts of mercy and forgiveness.

You can gather with others to receive this mercy in person in Manchester every Sunday, or online from anywhere every Wednesday.

You’re not good enough. Recognising that is a good thing. Come and receive what God wants to give people like us, who aren’t good enough.