“We’re not enough; Jesus is enough. BUT when we’re passionately pursuing Jesus from a place of faith, obedience, peace and rest, equipped by God – what we’re doing is enough, and we are enough for others who all share in our imperfections and lacking.”
Renee
We’ve all seen the encouraging blogs and posts reminding us that we are enough – filling us up with those warm fuzzy feelings. But more recently, I’ve also been coming across blogs, books and more – reminding me of the reality that the whole reason we have a saviour is because, actually, we aren’t enough.
It’s enough to confuse anyone.
Am I or aren’t I enough?
Although there is encouragement in hearing the words “you are enough”, it is not entirely true.
Firstly, we could never do enough to save ourselves. We are broken and sinful humans in need of a saviour. We aren’t enough on our own, but Jesus fills the space of our ‘not enough’. Through His shed blood, we are justified and can enjoy right standing with, and full access to, our Heavenly Father. Jesus has essentially taken our ‘not enough’ and made it sufficient through His sacrifice, His sinlessness and His perfection. He has paid the price for our sins and our imperfections because of His great love – so that we may be saved if we believe.
BUT, Jesus only asks us to come as we are. Although we aren’t enough, we are not out of reach of His magnificent Grace. His grace is enough for us. In this sense, coming to Jesus broken, searching for hope outside of ourselves, repenting and desiring to be made new, is enough.
Secondly, we no longer need to strive. We don’t need to bust ourselves doing work and good deeds to feel adequate – if we are faithfully and obediently doing what we have been instructed to do by the Lord, what we’re doing is enough.
Of course, we also need to keep in mind that our actions can be pleasing and ‘enough’ for the Lord, only while abiding in Him, who equips us for the good works we do and empowers us to live lives that display the fruit of the Spirit living in us. If we’re working independently from the Lord – we can do nothing of any value, and that offering of works in our own strength, is not enough.
In our sinfulness, we’re not capable (we’re not enough) to live holy lives leading to salvation. Outside of Christ, the sanctification journey is fruitless and futile, and not enough to transform our lives into the image of Christ’s life OR direct others towards Him. Sanctification requires the Holy Spirits empowerment and intervention. We cannot be sanctified by just willing it. Our willingness to be sanctified is not enough, but sanctification empowered by the Holy Spirit is enough, even though it may take a lifetime.
So finally, if we can’t save ourselves, if our works and striving are useless outside of Christ, are we ever capable of being ‘enough’? My answer here would be a resounding YES. We are enough for other imperfect people while empowered by Jesus.
You are enough as a mother.
You are enough as a wife.
You are enough as a friend.
You are enough as a daughter, a sister, a niece.
You are enough as a women’s leader, a writer, a teacher, a doctor, a receptionist, a chief – whatever heavenly assignment the Lord has directed you towards.
You are enough for other people when you love them, forgive them and direct them in the ways the Lord so sweetly does for us personally. Jesus’ presence in your life makes you enough for other people. You ought not to feel that because you are imperfect and ‘not enough’ – as We all are – that your efforts in these areas are doomed to fail or will be inadequate. Quite the opposite actually, you can be that wonderful mother you desire to be through Christ – not a perfect mother – but a wonderful mother who is enough because of Christ alive in you.
We’re not enough; Jesus is enough. BUT when we’re passionately pursuing Jesus from a place of faith, obedience, peace, and rest, equipped by God – what we’re doing is enough, and we are enough for others who all share in our imperfections and lacking.
