Disqualified by Men. Qualified by God

Impostor syndrome is a psychological pattern where an individual is overwhelmed with self-doubt. Those that fall victim to this anxiety driven cycle tend to think that they’re not good enough in whatever challenging circumstance that meets them, they think that they are incompetent compared to others and even when they get promoted in whatever situation or acknowledged in one way or another, they still don’t think they should be there. They feel like an impostor so they feel that they have to put on a persona to justify having been promoted. In the midst of this, they experience that feeling of rejection, of being unwanted, being disqualified and this is an identity that some adopt. They go around feeling weighed down by all those negative characteristics that they have put on. This is also true of those with negative past experiences and what people have called them. For example, if you were once called an outcast, you would then assume “outcast” as your identity and every failure you would attach it to being because you’re an “outcast”.

What does this have to do with the Bible? Or Christianity?

In reading the bible, I have noticed that some of God’s chosen people have experienced some form of Impostor Syndrome at one point or another, whether extreme or hardly noticeable.

Hagar Disqualified, but God Qualified

Take the story of Hagar; which is one of my favourite stories in the bible. She experienced a form of rejection when Abraham sent her away (Genesis 21:14). Imagine how hard that journey in the wilderness must’ve been with her child and the things she had to carry. She came to her boiling point when there was no more water left in the dry desert, there was no more fuel left (Genesis 21:15). She gave up; she was discouraged, the road seemed long, she could not see how there could be a way for her and her son. How there could possibly be a future? She turned her eyes from hope; she dwelled in her unbelief when she said in Genesis 21:16 “let me not see the death of the boy”.

People often turn their eyes away from dreams they once had that they cannot see a future for because of the difficulties of current circumstances.

During this time of distress, Hagar was not yet aware of the great promise that God had prepared for her, because God had revealed it to Abraham first. The promise in Genesis 21:13 says, “Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.” God met her at her point of need. What’s interesting is that the bible says in Genesis 21:17 that God heard the voice of the LAD – not the voice of Hagar, but the voice of the Lad. So this demonstrates that while may be dwelling in our feelings and pity parties (this is not to say that God does not care about our feelings because he does, as 1 Peter 5:7 tells us.), God focuses on the hope, the goal, the promises at hand.

But the journey and the purpose for God’s people is too great (1 Kings 19:7). Frankly, this is a good example to follow in our everyday life. How many people would have come through with their dreams if they could see the finish line, and not dwell in their insecurities and circumstances? It’s important to remember that Jehovah Jireh provides a way in our struggles and Matthew 6:31-32 confirms that.

In Genesis 21:19 it says that “God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water.” I love how God took ownership there. He didn’t sort of just say, “find strength”, but He was her strength, He made the move on her behalf. He vision and perception of God’s providence was impacted because she was caught up in her feelings. She did not even see that a way forward was right in front of her the whole time. The provision was there the whole time.

This is true to life sometimes. We can get so caught up in depression, sadness, pity parties, discouragement, rejection and fear that we do not see all the blessings God has provided in front of us. We do not see what God has entrusted to us to mend or nourish ourselves; we only focus on what we don’t have or covet what our neighbours have.

This pattern is repetitive in many of God’s chosen people. It doesn’t just stop at Hagar.

Moses Disqualified, but God Qualified

Moses, one of the greatest leaders and men to have ever lived, was born into rejection by others. He was a Jew and the Egyptians wanted to kill him as a new born baby because of their fear towards his people as it demonstrates in Exodus 1:10, 15. But even then God made a way. He used the daughter of the very person that wanted to kill Moses to rescue Him. Even when God met him in Horeb, Moses was hesitant to accept his true identity and cling to his former Eygptian identity. In Exodus 3:11Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’’ To the world, he was just a Jew; to the Egyptians, he was just a murderer; to himself, he was just a man of slow speech (Exodus 4:10). How could he possibly finish this great task? But the Lord wasn’t having any of it! He didn’t make provision for his pity party, He made provision for the goal, for the promise by introducing Aaron as his spokesman and the Lord promised that he would be the mouth piece for both of them (Exodus 4:16).

Can you imagine if Moses had dwelt in his insecurities continuously? It may have resulted in a different outcomes: He might not have been the deliverer of the Jews and he would not have been the foreshadow of Jesus. The Bible shows us he was also an intercessor for the people, pleading to the Father on our behalf as Jesus is doing for us today (Exodus 32:11-14 and Romans 8:34).

The examples are endless:

Amos was a tender of a Sycomore tree. This was known to be a poor people’s fruit. Nevertheless, as is custom to our beloved Father towards His people, He saw Amos as more than that and made him a prophet (Amos 7:14-16).
David was disqualified by men because of his looks but God chose him and we are still using David as reference today (1 Samuel 16:7).
The adulterous woman in John 8:1-11. Notice Jesus does not call on her sin of adultery as the people were calling her; rather, He was focused on qualifying her – saving her. It has been widely discussed that this woman was Mary Magdelene. Wether it was her or not, we know Mary came to be a very important person in the story of Jesus while He was on earth. Amongst many things, she was the one that discovered the empty tomb. (Luke 20:1 and Luke 20:11-18) What a blessing, what a privilege.
Even our Lord and Saviour Jesus was a victim of being disqualified. In John 1:46 they said “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” and in John 6:42 they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Many disciples left him after he preached about being the bread of life and they should eat His flesh and drink His blood in John 6:66.

Jesus our example

Many may leave you during your journey in Christ, but do not give up, stand firm as Jesus did, and be unapologetic about it as Jesus was in John 6:67 “Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” Jesus did not allow people’s opinions or reactions to become His identity. They wanted Him to accept that He was just that dude from Nazareth who was a carpenter. Though He endured many things, He looked to the joy that was set before Him, He looked to the goal (Hebrews 12:2). Jesus is our example in all ways.

This is a word to encourage us because the stronger we develop in our faith the more we have to have those challenging talks with people we love to be bold and no longer deny Jesus. Remember, He said, “But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven”, Matthew 10:33. This is a point where many friends may despairingly say “ooh that one’s changed.” or “oh I saw her read a bible she must be a bigot.” or “oh he used to do drugs, how can he now act holier than thou?” The examples of judgment and worldly condemnation are many but let us be encouraged to forget the former things and look towards the goal, which is Jesus (Philippians 3: 13-14); Our Risen King (Matthew 28:5-6); The one who is, who was and is to come (Revelation 1:8).

So to conclude, saints, be watchful that you do not take on the identity of your circumstances or how men have disqualified you but focus on who God says you are and how He has qualified you because in Him, in Christ, you are more than qualified. You are a conqueror, (Romans 8:37) and you have the authority to step over serpents and scorpions (Luke 10:19) and one day you will be a judge of angels (1 Corinthians 6:3).

And to all we say “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 8:34)

Amen and Amen.