There’s a mindset that’s all too common, especially among people of deep faith: the moment something good happens, we deflect the credit. “It wasn’t me, it was all God.”
We say it out of humility. Out of reverence. Maybe even out of fear—fear of sounding arrogant, or of losing favor by being proud of ourselves. But here’s the truth that many of us need to hear: you were there too. You showed up. You pushed through. You did the hard thing.
Faith doesn’t mean disappearing in your own story.
When You Feel Like You’re Not Enough
If you’ve ever looked at your own life and thought, “There’s no way I could’ve done that,” you’re not alone. Self-doubt runs deep. And for some of us, it’s wrapped up in how we were taught to view ourselves—“filthy rags,” “unworthy,” “nothing without God.”
But that’s not the whole story.
You were never meant to believe you’re worthless. You were meant to believe you are powerful because you are created with purpose. You’re not God—but you’re not invisible either. You’re not just a vessel. You’re a voice.
And when you doubt yourself, when you bury your own role in your growth, you dim the light God placed in you.
God Works Through You, Not Instead of You
Faith isn’t about stepping aside and letting life happen to you. It’s about leaning into life knowing that you don’t have to carry it all alone. But the walking? The climbing? The crawling through the dark when you could’ve given up?
That was you.
That was your pain, your sweat, your fight, your courage.
Yes, God gave you the strength. But you used it. Don’t pretend you weren’t in the room.
Giving Credit to God Shouldn’t Erase You
It’s okay to say “Thank you, God.”
It’s also okay to say, “I’m proud of myself.”
You can hold both truths at the same time.
One doesn’t cancel the other.
You are not stealing glory from God when you acknowledge your effort. You’re honoring the gift He placed in you when you don’t let it go to waste.
You Deserve to See Yourself Clearly
So the next time something good happens—when you overcome, when you accomplish something you thought you couldn’t—don’t rush to erase yourself. Pause. Look at how far you’ve come. Feel the weight of what you carried. And instead of disappearing into the background, stand in it.
Not in arrogance.
In gratitude.
In truth.
Because here’s the reality: God was with you—but so were you. And the world needs more people who can carry both faith and self-belief without shame.
Reflection Question:
What’s one moment in your life where you gave all the credit away—when maybe, just maybe, you deserved to give some of it back to yourself too?
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