Scripture: Philippians 4:11-12
Journal: Is God enough for you? What
does it do in you when you truly believe that he is? What does it do in you when you don’t truly
believe it? Where are you in that
journey right now?
Reflection: I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be
content whatever the circumstances. I
know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in
any and every situation, whether I am well fed or hungry, whether living in
plenty or in want.” (Philippians 4:11-12, NIV)
God is enough. He is everything we need. Evidently Paul learned this, although it
probably didn’t come easy. Paul knew
that circumstances didn’t determine his life, but God did. And if God determines everything about our
lives, then we don’t need circumstances to be pleasant, convenient, comfortable,
or favorable. That’s how Paul could
write, “I have learned the secret of being content whatever the
circumstances.” The Greek word used here
(in Phil. 4:11) is autarkēs, which means sufficient or enough. Thus, we are only able to be truly content
when we really believe that God is enough.
Unfortunately, we don’t
always fully believe that. In fact,
sometimes we don’t even believe it a little bit. And it has an enormous impact on how we live
our lives. If we do not really believe
that God is enough, then we have to turn to ourselves, or to others, to fill in
the gaps. That’s where it gets really
ugly. We become anxious and angry and frustrated,
or depressed and driven and demanding.
We become the very worst version of ourselves.
But if we can ever get to
the point where we truly believe that God is enough, then we can rest in his
enough-ness. His enough-ness, and not
that of ourselves or our circumstances, allows us to truly trust in him. If God is really enough, then we don’t have
to be. And we do not have to demand that
others be enough for us. In fact, it
frees us up to be able to love them, rather than manipulate love out of
them. If God is enough, then whatever
others have to offer us—if anything—is enough because we are not depending on
them for our sense of well-being. If God
is enough, then we have enough—however much or little that may be. And if God is enough, then we are
enough in him. It is his love alone that
determines our value and our worth. We
do not have to jockey and posture and perform for everyone. Our identity is securely rooted in him; it is
not tied to what we do, what we have, or how we look.
So I pray that, this very
day, we will all get to know God’s enough-ness.
For until we get to know him, really know him, we never will know how enough
he really is.
Prayer
Closing
Prayer: God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. (Psalm 23:1, The Message)
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