Mark 6:3: “Then they scoffed, ‘He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.’ They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.”
Imagine Jesus standing before the people of His hometown, the very ones who watched Him grow up. Instead of embracing His wisdom and divine authority, they reduced Him to mere labels; ”just a carpenter”, “just the son of Mary”.
If anyone had a reason to feel like an impostor, it was Jesus.
They doubted His calling, questioned His anointing, and refused to acknowledge His divinity. But Jesus never wavered. He was completely secure in who He was, His relationship with the Father, and His purpose on earth. The opinions of men did not define Him, God did.
When He sent out His disciples, He prepared them for rejection, saying that if they were not received in a city, they should shake the dust off their feet and move on. (Matthew 10:14). The rejection wasn’t a reflection of their worth; it was a reflection of the hearts of those who rejected them.
The Root of Impostor Syndrome: Fear and Insecurity
Impostor syndrome is the thought or feeling that you are not truly deserving, qualified, or worthy as people think you are. As you move up the ladder of success or influence, you fear that soon, others will find out you’re not as capable as they believe, even though there’s evidence of your competence.
At the core of impostor syndrome is fear; fear of failure, rejection, or not measuring up. Often, this fear stems from past rejection or deeply ingrained self-doubt. But as believers, we are not called to live in fear: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).
When insecurity shapes our identity, we begin striving for validation instead of resting in God’s grace. We forget that our worth is based not on our achievements or who we think we are, but on what Christ has done for us.
Shift the Focus from you to Jesus Christ
I remember a day when I was with a group of believers, and we were all praying for one another, sharing prophetic words that we sensed God was leading us to speak. When it was my turn, some words encouraged me, but one brother’s word unsettled me deeply. He started by saying I had low self-esteem…
Honestly, after that, his words didn’t resonate with me because he began on a wrong note. I found myself dwelling on his words, to the point of tears, because until that moment, I truly believed I had made significant progress and was actively stepping out of my shell and comfort zone.
It’s disheartening to see how the world has promoted a narrative centered around the ‘self’; protecting yourself, loving yourself, choosing yourself, prioritizing yourself; all focused on self, as if the world revolves around us. But this is not God’s way. His way is to die to oneself and be resurrected in Jesus Christ. Scripture tells us that we died and were resurrected with Him. In Jesus Christ, we live, move, and have our being; not in ourselves.
On another note, the way we deliver prophetic word matters. Never leave the recipient worse off than they were before you spoke. They should not be paralyzed with fear or hopelessness. Instead, lean on the Holy Spirit to deliver your message with love.
Later on, after nursing my pain for a while, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart. He said: “The focus is on ‘self’-esteem; on what you think about ‘yourself.’ But wouldn’t it be better to have a Jesus-esteem instead of a self-esteem? It’s okay if Toju has low self-esteem. That would make her rely on ‘My esteem’ to fulfill My purpose for her!”
In that moment, something shifted within me. I let go of the need to “fix” myself and realized that, no matter how I viewed myself, I could still move forward and fulfill God’s will. It may take time; perhaps longer than we’d like; for us to truly believe in ourselves and our abilities. But until that time comes, the knowledge of who you are in Christ Jesus is in my opinion all you need to see you through.
Again, I am reminded of what Paul said: “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise.
And He chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:26-29.
Therefore, take comfort in knowing that God knew you fully well before He chose you. He knew your weaknesses and how ill-equipped you were for the tasks He assigned to you, yet He called you anyway. Your limitations don’t define you; His purpose does.
Likewise, if God has placed you in a position of influence, leadership, or ministry, don’t allow the opinions of others (or your own insecurities) to make you doubt your calling.
