Key Text: 2 Corinthians 10:1-18
15 years ago Guy Goma was an IT support technician who went for an interview at the BBC and was mistakenly interviewed live on BBC news because they wrongly thought he was a digital music tech expert that they had scheduled to interview about a legal dispute between Apple corporation and Apple Music.
Guy was someone who felt like an imposter. He felt that he should not have been there that he had no authority.
There would no doubt have been a sense of inadequacy in the unfamiliarity of the situation. Maybe felt that he had no right to be where he was. and was feeling like an imposter
Impostor syndrome is an internal idea, that causes someone to believe that they are not as competent as others perceive them to be, as if they are a fraud. To put it simply, imposter syndrome is the experience of feeling like a phony in some area of our life, despite any success that we may have achieved in that area.
If we carry this imposter syndrome at best it will hinder our ability to fulfil the mission of Christ. Make disciples, baptising in name of father, Son & Holy Spirit and teaching them the way of Christ Jesus. At worst it will leave us weak, powerless and lame
We might have imposter syndrome if we find ourself consistently experiencing self-doubt, even in areas where we typically excel.
Imposter syndrome may show itself as restlessness and nervousness, and it may manifest as negative self- talk. Symptoms of anxiety and depression often accompany imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome can be broken down into five basic types:
The Perfectionist. This type of imposter syndrome involves believing that, unless you were absolutely perfect, you could have done better. You feel like an imposter because your perfectionistic traits make you believe that you’re not as good as others might think you are.
The Expert. The expert feels like an imposter because they don’t know everything there is to know about a particular subject or topic, or they haven’t mastered every step in a process. Because there is more for them to learn, they don’t feel as if they’ve reached the rank of “expert.”
The Natural Genius. In this imposter syndrome type, you may feel like a fraud simply because you don’t believe that you are naturally intelligent or competent. If you don’t get something right the first time around or it takes you longer to master a skill, you feel like an imposter.
The Soloist. It’s also possible to feel like an imposter if you had to ask for help to reach a certain level or status. Since you couldn’t get there on your own, you question your competence or abilities.
The Superperson. This type of imposter syndrome involves believing that you must be the hardest worker or reach the highest levels of achievement possible and if you don’t, you are a fraud.
2 Corinthians 12:9 …My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Fortunately the apostle Paul Gives us some pointers to overcoming this sense of imposter syndrome. Read: 2 Corinthians 10:1-18
Conclusion
The God who is everywhere desires to manifest somewhere. He wants to show Himself in space and time in specific places/moments.
We are not imposters without a right to be where we are but instead are a people called to a purpose.