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When Is It Enough?

What is impossible for people is possible with God. (Luke 18: 27 NLT)

I love God’s timing. As I considered my struggles over the last few weeks, I jotted some notes down this morning, including the title of this post. Being “enough” is something I have wrestled with my whole life. I feel responsible for my own actions and, when I’m weary, default into feeling responsible for others' emotions. Years of therapy has taught me that others are beyond my control or responsibility. But there is a backstory for today's insight.

Over the last few weeks, I have sensed some serious spiritual battles, especially at work. I love my job, and I truly believe that I am called into this profession. A number of things-beyond my control-have seeped into my mind and being, causing this “yes girl” to become engrossed in what is outside of my zone of responsibility. I have blurred the boundaries in the name of spiritual gifts so much that my empathetic self has literally taken on the difficulties of others. 

So, today as I pondered these things, I tuned in to one of my favorite preachers, Steven Furtick of Elevation Church, after attending my home church. Sometimes, I need a double dose of God’s word. His message today: Navigating Not Enough. It’s amusing at times when God is less than subtle. I already knew what I was going to discuss. And God gave me the encouragement I needed to press on.

Pastor Furtick discussed the feeding of the thousands. There are two separate incidents of this recorded in Matthew 14 and 15. Most of us have heard about the feeding of the 5,000. In the next chapter, Jesus goes on to feed 4,000 with seven loaves. What seemed like “not enough” in the hands of Jesus was more than enough.

In my desperation to be Christ-like, I must remember that after He ministered, He went off by Himself to reset. Jesus understood the need for rest. He understood that physically, He would become exhausted if He didn’t pause and allow His Father to restore His soul. The demands of the crowd were draining, and He knew that the only way to refill was to go to the source of His strength.

When is it enough? If it’s me, the answer is never. In and of myself, I will never be enough. I cannot change situations beyond my control to help others cope. I am not the ultimate Comforter who can soothe when tragedy happens. Even when I’m trying to be the kind of person I would want to spend time with, it’s not enough. But if I lay my life in the hands of Jesus, He will be enough for me and for those around me.

© Jill Cook and Unbroken & Undone Ministries.  All rights reserved.

If you would like to hear the word that encouraged me today, check out the Elevation Church YouTube channel.

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