You're not enough and that's okay because Jesus is.
The first part of that sentence is the title of a book by Allie Beth Stuckey, called "You're Not Enough (And That's Okay): Escaping the Toxic Culture of Self-Love." It's an excellent book that resonates with me because it teaches the same message that God has revealed to me through the Bible and my life.
For a long time, I held the belief that life was about me finding happiness and fulfillment which couldn't be achieved until I had a husband, children, and physical beauty. I was convinced that these achievements would fill the emptiness in my soul. I am glad to report that I was wrong. Unfortunately, I learned this lesson late in life and hurt people along the way.
But God was merciful to me. He saved and forgave me and He called me to share my testimony of how He rescued and redeemed me so that others could know that it is possible for them too. If you want, you can read more of my story here.
2 Peter 1:3 says that Jesus' divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His glory and excellence.
Jesus is everything we need for life and godliness. Do you believe that?
Who is Jesus to you?
Is He enough? Is He better than anything life can give you and better than anything death can take away?
A friend of mine named Teresa recently answered these questions for herself. After she shared her testimony with our small group, I asked who Jesus was to her. She had shared the typical Sunday school version of Jesus being God’s son, dying on the cross for our sins, and rising from the dead. Which is all true and necessary for salvation, but something was missing from her story, it lacked the conviction and persuasion that comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. "That's all true, but who is Jesus to you, Teresa? I asked." She looked at me, puzzled, then looked down, and sighed. She bit her lip to hold back tears, but the tears still came. “Hope, she said, He’s hope. Hope that everything will be okay. Hope that I will be okay.” In a word, Teresa discovered and revealed to us who Jesus was to her. Jesus is hope for Teresa. Teresa had been struggling because of her divorce, but through her relationship with the Lord, fellowship in the church, and Bible study, she came to realize that her identity is in Jesus, not in anyone else. Shortly after our small group ended Teresa got baptized to publicly declare her faith in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior, and her Hope that all is well with her soul.
Who is Jesus to you? Is He enough? Is He your hope?
Do you trust God when things don’t go your way?
Do you believe God is good when you’re in pain? Or, when your child is in pain?
Are you captivated by God’s love or do you prefer the affection of others?
At some point in time, life is going to knock you on your back, if it hasn’t already. When that happens will you still be able to say, God is good? Will Jesus be enough?
Is God still good when you don’t get the job or when you lose your job?
When you're sick or when a loved one is sick, and dying, or dead – is God still good?
Will you still praise Him and give Him thanks?
For those not yet convinced that you need Jesus:
Where have you placed your trust?
How is it protecting and providing for you and your family? Can it be taken away?
What does your eternity look like?
Can that career, education, or money save you?
Does that man or that woman complete you?
As you read this, I pray that you become convinced that there is nothing and no one as important as Jesus. He is all you need. I urge you to trust Christ for your life. This is what God designed for you.
Psalm 27:4 says: “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty (delightfulness) of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.”
This verse speaks to a singular purpose: To be in God’s presence more than anyone or anything else.
Is God your one desire? What's your one thing?
Psalm 73:25-28 says: “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish; You have destroyed all those who desert You. But it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works.”
This verse speaks to a singular focus: To love God more than anyone or anything else.
Is God your first love? Who do you love most?
Followers of Jesus...Do we have this kind of passion for God? Is seeking God and knowing Him our primary focus? If not, it could mean that we don’t believe Jesus is enough or that we don't trust God is always good. There was a time in my life when I professed Christ, but I didn't live for Him or love Him the most.
Do you want the security and confidence that Jesus brings? Give Him your life. Surrender to Him. Seek Him and His will for you and your family. Read God’s Word. Fellowship with other followers of Jesus who read, study, and obey God's word. Repeat daily.
It’s not enough to just say we believe.
James 2:19 says, even the demons believe and tremble.
You don't become a Christian by just believing a bunch of facts about Jesus. You become a Christian by identifying with and being transformed by the death and resurrection of Jesus. The devil and his demons believe in all the facts about Jesus but they're not Christians. They don’t worship God. They hate Him, and they’re going to hell. Being a Christian means that Christ is your life. That you realize you’re a sinner deserving of death and hell and that you need a savior to rescue you. Then after being saved, you are compelled by the love of Christ to live passionately for Him.
It’s not enough to just go to church and do things in the name of Jesus.
In Matthew 7 Jesus says, "Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven; but only those who do the will of My Father. And those people will say to Him, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and do many wonders in Your name?’ And He will say to them depart from Me, for I never knew you."
Those are strong words. Once again, there was a time in my life when I professed Christ, but I didn't obey His word.
Being a true Christian means that we do the will of the Father. What is God's will? Let's open His word and find out.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says:
“Here oh Israel (Insert your name for Israel), the Lord our God, the Lord is one!”
Like the two Psalms, we read previously: The Lord is the One we have in heaven. He is the One we should desire more than anyone on earth.
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.”
Jesus reminds us of this commandment in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Notice
He says love with ALL our heart, mind, soul, and strength.
It's worth noting that when Jesus instructs us to love our neighbors as ourselves, He is not implying that we should love ourselves. Nowhere in the Bible does it say to love ourselves. This idea is a lie from the enemy and the world. Instead, the Bible teaches us to hold others in higher regard than ourselves. Jesus said to take up our cross daily and follow Him, which means dying to ourselves. He also warns us that if we love our life, we will lose it, but if we hate our life in this world, we will keep it for eternal life. Finally, Jesus teaches us to love our enemies. God knows that we already think of ourselves too much and He wants us to shift our focus to loving and serving others.
Does our life reflect our love of God?
“Love the Lord” occurs 166 times in the Bible, and “Love God” occurs 145 times. It's key to an abundant life.
“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart, you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house when you walk by the way when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
That's a lot. That's all the time. All day, every day. Intense focus on God. Imagine how transformative that would be to us and our relationships if we did it.
Are we pouring God’s word into our family?
In my first marriage, I prayed for a child for five years and was blessed with a son whom we named Zachary. From the time Zach was in my womb, I prayed for him to know the Lord and walk with Him all the days of his life. I dedicated Zach to the Lord, just as Hannah did with Samuel, praying that he would grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and man.
Following the command in Deuteronomy, I read the Bible to Zach every day after he was born, teaching him to read and write from the Bible. Zach asked to receive Christ when he was five and asked to be baptized when he was six. God has answered all my prayers regarding Zach. Today, he is married, has a son, and serves in ministry, proclaiming the gospel and teaching the Bible to others.
I believe that God desires godly offspring, and by following His word, I have been blessed to see Zach grow into a man after God's own heart. To God be the glory!
Now back to Deuteronomy.
“You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and your gates.”
Where are we displaying His word?
Note that this passage in Deuteronomy says to TEACH God's word, TALK about God's word, and WRITE God’s word.
Psalm 1 says: “…his delight is in the law of the Lord, and His law, he meditates (ponders - talks to himself) day and night.”
How often are we pondering God’s word? Where are we teaching God’s word, talking about God’s word, and writing about God’s word, His love, and His works?
Passion for Jesus and God's word is the key to abundant life. It brings real joy, peace, and contentment. It cures anxiety, fear, and worry. It helps us realize Jesus is enough.
What’s one thing in your life, if taken away, would devastate you?
Is Jesus better than anything life can give you and better than anything death can take away? Who is Jesus to you? Is He enough?
God, who is Jesus, refers to Himself as "I AM." It means that He is everything we need. He says repeatedly in the Bible; I AM your Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Purpose, Hope, Joy, Strength, Confidence, Healer, Redeemer, Savior, Lord, and Love. God says I AM all you need to be complete.
All the other people and things in our life are expressions of God's love and grace, but they cannot complete us.
When Christ is your life, you are always safe and secure. With Jesus as your hope, confidence, and security, there is nothing to worry about and nothing to fear. Nothing can devastate you. Nothing can separate you from His love, because you are His and He will never leave you or forsake you. Jesus is enough. He is better than anything or anyone else in life.
Jesus is enough. You don’t need anything or anyone more than Him.
Friends of mine, Bill, and Shelly are beautiful examples of Jesus being enough. Shelly battled cancer for several years. It never stole her joy though. Right up until the end of her life here on earth, she was smiling, sharing the gospel, praising Jesus, and loving and serving her family, even while carting around an oxygen tank. Her husband Bill, grieving the loss of his beautiful wife of thirty years, is still praising Jesus. Even in mourning, Bill knows God is still good, Shelly is with Jesus, feeling no more pain or sorrow, and Bill knows his pain will come to an end too and he will see his Shelly again when it's his time to go home.
When Christ is your life, you understand that death is a glorious gain, not a dreadful end.
Do you want this kind of security and confidence in your life and your death?
Here are four things I do to keep my eyes on Jesus so I'm not distracted by the world:
Draw near to God by reading His word daily and praying to Him all day long.
Trust in Christ alone, no one else.
TEACH God's word, TALK about God's word, and WRITE God’s word.
Tell everyone what Jesus has done for you!
Mara Petro
Abundant Life Coach
Abundant Life Women's Ministries
