At the end of the day don’t we really just wanna know that we’re “enough”? Enough friend, enough wife, enough mother, enough worker? I think if everyone on the planet went into every situation knowing that he or she IS enough it would be a very pleasant place to live. Instead, most of us walk around feeling either that we’re not enough or that others aren’t enough for us.
This makes for a very precarious situation. I think a lot of my disappointments and discouragements could be traced back to me feeling like I’m not enough and/or the other people in my life aren’t enough. The world and Satan would alternately tell us, “You’re not enough. You’ll never be enough. Do more. Be more. Have more.” or “You got this baby. You so big this world can’t conTAIN you!” They take turns shaming us and puffing us up. One minute we’re too big for our britches, the next we’re not up for the task.
What I’d like to say is that you are enough. And…..you’ll never be enough. Seemingly contradictory statements I like to defy logic so I’m saying they CAN co-exist. You are enough because what you bring to the table – the woman God created you to be: your gifts, your talents, your personality, your quirks and your endearing qualities – they are there with a purpose. Designed with a plan in mind, you are.
But this is a hard truth to believe because we’re constantly receiving messages (otherwise known as living by sight) that tell us something different: “You need to do better, be smarter, be prettier, be thinner, be funnier” etc. I think our culture would come up with a prototype of the perfect woman whose qualities are considered attractive, sexy, and smart and say, “THIS is who you need to be. Voila!” The problem with that is we’d all be the same. Same is boring. Same is expected. Vanilla may be an acceptable flavor for the masses but it lacks anything interesting and surprising.
God didn’t make you to be same as the girl next door. In fact, I’ll go so far as to say when you try to be different than you are — someone else you admire or an ideal you think is more desirable than you — you’re practicing idolatry. Ouch! Idolatry? Yes, idolatry. Golden calves need not apply. Look, I’m not talking only to you. I need to hear this too.
Thinking about being “enough” reminds me of Goldilocks. When she entered the bears’ house she found the porridge that was too hot, too cold and then just right. Then the bed that was too big, too small and then just right. I like just right and I think you do too. Not too little, not too big. A perfect fit.
You are enough just as you are, without “working it up”, without “being all THAT.” But the other truth we need to believe is that we will never be enough. When we surrender to this truth the Holy Spirit can step in and make up the difference. I will never be enough. You will never be enough. When we accept this we become a lot more forgiving of ourselves and others.
You + the Holy Spirit = Just Right.
Oh how I love algebraic equations!
Let’s take today to allow this truth to seep into our bones so deeply that we’re forced to cling to the Father and thank Him that He loves us, accepts us, even cherishes us just as we are. Hmmm, may be a good subject for a hymn. More on “enough” next time… Oh and, by the way, this is the first of a five-part series and I’ll add links to the titles as I post them:
But that's enough about me…what about you?
What messages do you hear that say “you’re not enough” or the opposite, “your own strength is not just 'enough', it's plenty!”?Stay Updated Via Email
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