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Friends, today, we are talking about a feeling most of us have felt, but few of us admit: the feeling that we are totally unqualified and may lack confidence in our role that God has given us. That somehow, the job we have, the table that we have been invited to, or the ministry we are in…….all happened by accident—and any second now, someone is going to tap us on the shoulder and say, 'You don't belong here.'

Have you ever felt like you don’t belong? More specifically, have you ever wondered if you were included, accepted, or invited by mistake? Have you worried that someone might have overestimated your abilities, or that you are underqualified? If so, this is called imposter syndrome.

And Imposter syndrome is the reason we quit early… before we have the chance to disappoint others… or so we think. Imposter syndrome is why we never fully step into our calling: we lack confidence. It hides in the shadows of our insecurities, shaming us with lies about our inadequacy. Imposter syndrome is the feeling that “you are not enough," and the persistent, internal, and often irrational fear that you are unworthy of God’s love and unqualified for your calling, despite evidence to the contrary.

Most of us struggle with it at one time or another, totally unaware that the person right next to us might feel exactly the same way we do.

While the term is modern, the struggle has been there through the ages.

For example, Moses was a Reluctant Leader when God first called upon him. In Exodus 3:11, Moses asked God, "Who am I?" that I should go to Pharaoh and lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?”

And God’s response was not a pep talk to Moses but a promise of His Divine Presence. God simply answered Moses in verse 12, "I will be with you".

Another example in the Bible is Jeremiah, who could be considered The Youthful Skeptic. In Jeremiah 1:6, Jeremiah claimed he was too young and unskilled to speak for God as a prophet. Yet God commanded Jeremiah to shift focus from his own limitations to his divine appointment. God tells Jeremiah in verse 7, “Don’t say, I’m too young, for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you”.

And let’s take a look at Paul in the New Testament, who learned that God's power is "made perfect in weakness" and that God’s grace is enough for us. Paul's confession of his weakness to God allowed Christ's power to rest upon him. Imposter syndrome says, "I'm weak, and that's a problem." But Paul understood, "I am weak, and that's a platform for God’s power." In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Paul states, “Therefore, I am very happy to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Friends, our weakness isn't a liability; it's the platform where God's strength is most visible.

Another issue with Imposter syndrome is that it thrives when identity is anchored in the performance of what we do. My friend, the World wants you to believe the Lie: "that you must qualify yourself to be worthy."

But God’s Truth is that our Worth is inherent, not earned. We are God's "handiwork" or masterpiece, created for purposes designed in advance.

We are not a masterpiece because of what we did; we are a masterpiece because of who made us. Imposter syndrome disappears when we remember that our identity is anchored in grace (when we remember that our identity is who God says we are).

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My word for 2026 is Joy, and the verse I have been reflecting on is Romans 15:13, which states: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

In a world that often equates well-being with external success, the biblical definition of joy (or chara in Greek) is revolutionary. And let’s not confuse happiness with joy. Happiness is a reaction to favorable "happenings," BUT biblical joy is a settled state of contentment rooted in the character of God.

As I enter into 2026, I choose to define joy not as the absence of struggle, but as the presence of God. It is the "calm delight" that comes from knowing that, regardless of the global or personal climate, the Sovereign King is still on His throne.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, not a feeling. Galatians 5:22 lists joy as the second fruit of the Spirit. This implies two things for me this year:

1. It is cultivated: Fruit takes time to grow. It requires the soil of Scripture and the water of prayer.
2. And it is supernatural: You cannot manufacture holy joy through willpower. It is the natural byproduct of "abiding in the vine" (John 15:5).

To live out this word in 2026, I am focusing less on "trying to be joyful" and more on "staying connected to the Source of Joy." When the connection is strong, the fruit of joy appears automatically.

Nehemiah 8:10 declares, "The joy of the Lord is your strength." In the original context, the people were weeping over their past failures. Nehemiah corrected them, essentially saying that their strength for the future was found in celebrating God’s goodness.

So in 2026, I choose to use joy as a defensive tool:

• I use joy against Anxiety: Joy reminds us that the battle is already won.
• I use joy Against Bitterness: Joy shifts focus from what we lack to what we have been given.
• And I use joy against Exhaustion: Joy provides a "second wind" that physical rest cannot provide.

And friends, a "Word of the Year" only changes your life if it changes your days. Three practices I have put in place for this year are:

1. Gratitude Audits: At the end of each day, I name three "God-glimmers"—moments where His joy was visible.
2. Sacrifice of Praise: On the days when joy feels furthest away, I offer a "sacrifice of praise" (Hebrews 13:15). Worship is often the doorway to the joy you can't yet feel.
3. Joyful Service: Joy is one of the few things that increases as it is given away. I will intentionally look for opportunities to be the "overflow" mentioned in Romans 15:13.

As I navigate 2026, I choose to let "Joy" be my compass. It isn't a naive optimism; it is a profound theological statement that God is good, He is here, and He is enough. May my life reflect the "indescribable and glorious joy" (1 Peter 1:8) that comes from a life hidden in Christ.

Friends, I have attached episode 25, “A New Year, A New Word”. There is something special about starting a New Year with God-centered prayer and having a dedicated word that intentionally stirs the heart for God’s purpose and plans. In 2024, my Word was “Gather, in 2025, the word was Harvest and this year, in 2026, my word is Joy. I encourage you to choose a spiritual word for 2026 focused on intimacy with God. Be intentional about integrating this word into your daily life through prayer, meditation, and journaling.

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Heavenly Father, Almighty God, Creator of all things seen and unseen,

I come before Your throne of grace today with a heart burdened not for myself, but for those I cherish deeply. You know each of my loved ones by name. You know their paths, their struggles, and the condition of their hearts. I lift them up to You now, with all the love and longing within me, desperately praying for the salvation of their souls.

Lord, Your Word declares that You are not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance and everlasting life. I cling to that promise now. I pray that the scales would fall from their eyes and the veil would be lifted from their understanding. Break through the deception, the pride, the apathy, and the distractions of this world that keep them from recognizing their need for a Savior.

I ask that You send Your Holy Spirit to move mightily in their lives. Create a holy dissatisfaction within them with their current circumstances and worldly pursuits. Stir a hunger and a thirst for righteousness that only You can satisfy. Soften their hearts, Lord, which may be hardened by hurt, skepticism, or sin. Soften the heart for a receptive soil for the seed of Your Gospel.

Dispatch Your angels to surround them and orchestrate divine appointments. Bring faithful, loving witnesses into their lives who can clearly share the good news of Jesus Christ in a way that resonates with them. Remove any false beliefs, misconceptions about who You are, or any past hurt with the church that are acting as stumbling blocks to their faith.

I pray specifically for a moment of profound revelation for my loved ones and friends—may there be a personal encounter with Your undeniable love and truth. Whether through a crisis that reveals their need, a gentle whisper in the quietness of their heart, or the undeniable evidence of Your creation, draw them relentlessly toward Yourself.

Lord Jesus, You are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I pray that they would see You not just as a historical figure, but as the living God who died for their sins and rose again. Instill in them the faith to confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that You raised Him from the dead, so that they might be saved.

Grant me patience and wisdom as I interact with those who are not saved. Help me to live a life that reflects Your light, being a testimony of Your saving grace without judgment or condemnation. Give me the right words to speak and, more importantly, the wisdom to know when to simply pray and trust You to work.

I trust my loved ones into Your capable hands, knowing that Your love for them is even greater than my own. I believe that You hear this prayer and that You are working behind the scenes for their eternal destiny. I thank You in advance for their salvation and for the day when we will all stand together before You in glory.

In the mighty, saving name of Jesus Christ, I pray,

Amen.