The definition of imposter syndrome is: “the persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills.”
Let’s look at imposter syndrome as a Christian (my definition) : when knowing that God saved you but because of your past, and your struggle with sin that you feel like an imposter and shouldn’t be forgiven or teaching about Christ, and feeling like a fraud.
Oof. I get it, I fully and completely gave my life to God in 2020 and even to this day it will hit me.
You see, when you are saved…It’s natural to think that we automatically are better, that we don’t have to fight a “sinful nature”, that the struggles just “go away” so to speak.
That couldn’t be further from the truth, in fact, when you become a Christian, you are walking closer and closer everyday to your God given purpose.
The enemy.. Oh, he HATES that! So he will work EXTRA hard to pull us away from God. He is the source of reminding us of our past. Shame. That nasty word that holds us down.. that is not of God, my friend. Shame will come in many ways, a lot of times it’s the thoughts in our own heads that pop up. Sometimes he uses PEOPLE to remind us of our mistakes. Even Christians, you heard that right.. Sometimes Christians will even use our mistakes to claim we aren’t “good”. Don’t turn away from God because of them. We serve God and what He says, NOT people.
Jesus tells us that life will not be easy, but when you are a Christian.. He is right there beside you. He is going through your struggles and pain with you. He helps us through the hard times, and let me tell you.. It is MUCH better walking through the tough seasons with Jesus by your side.
John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
Humans have a sinful nature. Whether you are saved or not, we just do. That is why we need Jesus.
You are NOT a fraud. You are NOT an imposter. You BELONG right where you are in the arms of Jesus.
We will stumble, we will fall, and Jesus will be there to pick us up. He will correct us, love us, and NOT shame us. So when you mess up, or have thoughts of messing up, or that you aren’t good enough.. Turn to Jesus.
Take myself for example: I struggle with anger when I feel like there is an injustice in my life and I have a hard time leaving it at God’s feet to handle. Sometimes I struggle with the spirit of offense (which I will say, I have come a LONG way – God is working on that with me this year), and sometimes I struggle with speaking before thinking. Words are POWERFUL.
I also want to reiterate what I said earlier: People from your past, or people that you may not see eye to eye with right now, LOVE to remind you of your mistakes. The time anger won over you, the time you said something that wasn’t “Christian”, or the time that you did something that you really shouldn’t have.
Isaiah 59:19 When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.
People and Satan do NOT get to tell you who you are, Jesus does!
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Jesus DIED for our sins. If HE can forgive us, then we need to forgive ourselves. Life is hard, do not make it harder on yourself by being mean to yourself.
You are not an imposter. You are not a liar. You are not fake. You are not undeserving. You are a child of God with faults, and if you let Him, God will guide you away from the sins you struggle with. It’s like chipping at a block a little at a time, each time getting further and further away from the struggles. Will we ever reach perfection? Nope, We need Jesus.
But our actions CAN go from automatically acting upon our sinful nature, to learning to be more “Christ-LIKE”. One day, you won’t wake up and the first thing on your mind is alcohol. Or you won’t be dreaming all day of looking at pornography… Whatever your struggle, Jesus will help you.
“So i say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.” Galatians 5:16-18
I encourage you to open your bible and continue in Galatians 5:19-26. The Bible talks about our sinful nature vs the nature of the Holy Spirit”
My friend, life is hard… But lean into Jesus and see how wonderful it can be. Say it with me:
“I am NOT an imposter. I belong here.”
Trust me, God’s Got You.