Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
How to step into God’s calling with confidence
Maybe you’ve felt like you’re faking it, hoping no one realizes that you’re not actually as prepared, knowledgeable, or experienced as they think. Maybe you’ve thought, Who am I to step into this? I don’t have the right credentials, the right background, the right training.
Britt Maher knows exactly how that feels. An author, speaker, and co-founder of Her True Worth, a thriving online ministry that empowers women to break free from cultural expectations and find their identity in Christ, talked to us about it.
After spending years in the beauty industry, Britt saw firsthand how society pressures women to seek their worth in appearance, achievement, and approval. But through her own struggles with insecurity, perfectionism, and fear, she discovered a powerful truth—our worth isn’t earned, it’s given by God.
When the opportunity to write a book came along, she didn’t feel ready. She wasn’t a writer by trade. She hadn’t spent years dreaming about publishing a book. And yet, God placed it in her hands. But instead of feeling excited, she felt unqualified and afraid.
Why? Because years before God even called her, the enemy had already planted a fear of rejection in her heart.
The Moment That Planted Fear
Britt vividly recalls a moment from college that, at the time, seemed insignificant. She and some friends were at Barnes & Noble, browsing the shelves. “A group of my friends picked up a book, laughed at it, and then hid it behind other books because they deemed it theologically not sound.”
She wasn’t the author of that book. She had nothing to do with it. And yet, something in her heart hurt for the person who had written it. “Surely that author spent hours—maybe even years—pouring into that message, just for someone to so casually dismiss it.”
Without even realizing it, Britt internalized a fear of rejection that day. “The enemy used that moment to plant a fear of rejection in me, long before I ever even thought about writing books.”
So when God called her years later to write her own book, that memory resurfaced. She thought, What if people laugh at my words? What if they reject me? What if I’m not qualified to do this?
Sound familiar? Many of us unknowingly carry planted fears—moments from our past that whisper: “You’re not good enough. You’re not smart enough. You’re not capable.”
“We have found ourselves—at times very stuck and immobilized — waiting for permission to live on purpose for Jesus. And we find that in our culture, especially, we almost look for these outside qualifiers to give us permission to start living on purpose and on mission for God, when really God is the one who calls us. And it’s often said He doesn’t call the equipped, he equips the called.”
Are You Doing It Without Jesus?
As Britt began writing, imposter syndrome crept in. “I felt a lot of discomfort. I felt a lot of inadequacy. But the Bible says, ‘In our weakness, His strength is made complete.’” (2 Corinthians 12:9-11 paraphrased.)
She kept wondering, Am I capable of this? Do I belong in this space?
But then, she had a realization: “Imposter syndrome is usually birthed by recognizing that we are doing it without Jesus.”
If she tried to rely on her own wisdom, skills, or qualifications, of course she would feel like an imposter—because in her own strength, she wasn’t enough. “If I’m doing this without Jesus, I will always feel like an imposter. But when I lean on Him, He qualifies me.”
When God calls us, He never asks us to do it alone. He doesn’t ask us to be perfect, prepared, or fully ready—He simply asks us to trust Him enough to take the next step.
Stop Dismissing Yourself from Your Calling
How many times have you thought:
- I’ll step into ministry after I get more training.
- I’ll start that business after I feel more confident.
- I’ll write that book once I have more experience.
We convince ourselves that we need outside qualifiers before we can step into what God is asking us to do. But Britt learned something powerful. She shared, “We dismiss ourselves when we think, I’ll only be used by God when I have these qualifications.”
God is already calling you as you are.
You don’t have to wait until you feel ready. You don’t have to wait until you feel confident. You can walk in obedience today.
Who You Are in Christ > What You Do for Christ
One of the biggest lies of imposter syndrome is that your worth is found in your achievements, credentials, or skills. But Britt shares a powerful analogy she learned from her pastor. “When you do stuff for God, you have to almost see the cross before you and stand behind it. But when we see ourselves in front of the cross, that’s when we attach our identity to what we do.”
Think about that for a moment. When we put our work, achievements, and performance in front of the cross, we start defining ourselves by those things. But when we stand behind the cross, we let Jesus define us.
And Jesus has already qualified you.
How to Silence the Lies of Imposter Syndrome
So what do you do when those old fears start creeping in? How do you move forward when you feel like you’re not enough?
1. Identify the planted fear.
Think back—where did this fear start? Was there a specific moment, like Britt’s experience at Barnes & Noble, that subconsciously planted a seed of doubt?
Bringing that moment into the light takes away its power.
2. Shift the focus from you to God.
When you feel like you’re not qualified, remember: You aren’t. But God is. When you stand behind the cross, you’re no longer defined by your resume—you’re defined by Christ.
3. Take the first step in obedience.
Don’t wait until you feel confident. Don’t wait until you feel ready. Brit encouraged, “You don’t have to wait to graduate, get married, or have kids to serve God—you can start now.”
The only thing God is asking of you?—Faithful obedience, one step at a time.
You are already qualified. If you’ve been waiting for some outside permission to step into what God is calling you to do, this is it. Remember, God isn’t asking for perfection. He isn’t waiting for you to have the right degree or the right platform. He’s just waiting for you to say yes. Because you are not an imposter. You are already qualified in Christ.
Now, take the first step.
Connect with Britt Maher on Insta.
You can also check out her books here.
Want more? Check out our ondemand resources
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