"You Are Enough"

The world would have you believe that you are independent. That you can do it on your own. You don’t need men, you don’t need to have it all together, and you certainly don’t need God. So they tell you that “you are enough.” This attitude comes from a place of pride. It makes us see ourselves through our own lens, not the way others see us and definitely not the way God sees us.

When we have pride, God allows us opportunities to learn humility and brings us to rely on Him instead of on ourselves. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, “…to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me – to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And he has said to me, “my grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” James tells us more about the role of suffering and hardship in our lives: “Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)

Recently, God has been showing me that I have limitations. He has allowed me to have health issues that keep me from many of the things I used to able to do. Pain, fatigue and discomfort are constant. Before my health declined, I was fairly self-sufficient. I felt really good about all the things I had accomplished and planned to accomplish with my life. I told people that if God hadn’t allowed me opportunities, I would not have been able to do what I did; I believed this, but I also believed that I did most of it in my own strength. I am learning humility through my pain, learning how to rely on God and the people he has placed in my life to support me.  

God never wants us to rely on our own strength or believe that we are enough. He knows we can’t do it on our own. He is aware that we don’t have it all together. And most of all, He wants us to know that we need Him and that he loves us beyond measure and will give us everything we need to serve Him well. He tells us, “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’ …for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6: 31-34)

Next time you feel like you’re not good enough and can’t do it on your own, when you feel like giving up, remember to “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you….After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” (1 Peter 5: 6, 10)