Struggling with that question today...is God enough? There was a Bible study I did a few years back that asked the question, "if everything else was taken from you, would you be satisfied with Jesus?" I always had to answer that honestly with a resounding "NO"! I feel as if so much is/has been taken from me and I'm wondering if I'm getting any closer to answering "Yes, Jesus, you are enough". I might be getting closer, but I am not there yet.
To think of all I have because of Jesus...and none of this has anything to do with anyone or anything else. I would still have these things just because of HIM.
- complete forgiveness of ALL of my sins
- salvation and eternal life
- grace and mercy that have no end
- unconditional/unfathomable love
- an intercessor at all times
- constant companion and friend - I am never alone
- peace & joy if I receive them
- a fresh start every morning
- provider of all my needs
- one who was willing to give His life for ME
The list could go on and on, obviously. But that is just for starters. Now if everything and everyone else were taken away from me, that should be enough to satisfy this soul. Oh, how I want to be satisfied with just Jesus! My heart is crying out the past few days. For relief, for my kids, for my marriage, for my heart & mind, still it's all about me. Lord, give me a new perspective. Give me YOUR perspective. Change me. Satisfy me.
Is God enough for you? If all you have was to be taken away would you be satisfied with Jesus?
20 comments:
You know, it's so hard when we face circumstances that are beyond our control and that put us in a way to the "Job test". We struggle and we wonder how much more we can take.
For me, reaching that low point that I wasn't sure I could handle also led me to a place where I could know Jesus in a way that would not have been possible otherwise. Even though I would have never chosen to be in that place, it became a blessing because without that suffering I would not know Him like I do.
I'm not totally sure that I'm quite to the point where I could say that God is enough if EVERYTHING were taken away, but I do know that I'm much closer to that point than I was before I went through my darkest times. I also truly believe that anything The Lord takes me to, He will carry me through.
I have often wondered that question as it has been posed at different times. I too am like you and also Suzanne. I am closer to saying yes than I ever have been but I can't honestly say yes.
I think that this question is much like Abraham and Isaac...(future post of mine) and that is God didn't want Abraham to be without Isaac but He wanted Abraham to follow through in faith and sacrifice. I believe that God would never literally wipe everything from us. However, we have to be willing like Abraham to let go of everything and to be satisified with everything gone from us.
Does that make sense? He wants to be enough for us all by Himself but yet He loves us too much to ever truly wipe everything from us. He created this earth and people so that we would travel this life with family, kids, co-workers, friends. He never meant for us to go through this life alone but rather to edify and encourage each other to draw to Him.
Great post.
Paula
Hey Sheryl,
I'm learning more and more about God's faithfulness as I come visit your blog.
You are growing so much and teaching us all many things through what you are going through.
I read this scripture and thought of you today:
"Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains
understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields
better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
Proverbs 3:13-15
Your wisdom is leading the way~
Thanks for also being such a source of encouragement, I appreciate your comments♥
I remember when I was told there was nothing more they could do for my liver illness, Chemo did not work, and there is no cure at this time. Talk about being in a place where no one or nothing can help you, but Jesus. The journey I took with the Lord was one of the most intimate journeys of my life, and what I discovered was that the deeper I went with him, he was all I needed,it was such a transforming experience. What I thought was all about me, became all about him and others.
Sheryl right now everything is so fresh,the whole experience of beginning again and trying to be all things to your children, ( bless their Hearts) but I know you will come to that place where he will be all you need, not to say you will not need anything or anyone else, but all you need to get you through this part of your journey
Difficult circumstances can do two things it can..
Bring us closer to the Lord
or it can leave us bitter and pull away from him.
Thanks for your realness and honesty,The Lord says.. he is close to the broken hearted, Hugz Lorie
Sheryl...Asking the hard questions always brings us to the answers... they may not always be the answers we think we are looking for, but the are the Right answers.... God says,"Seek me, with your whole heart and I will tell you great and mighty things that you do not Know!!! Oh Sweetheart, keep asking.. the Father wants to bless you with the answers!!! Hold onto Him!!! YET WILL I PRAISE HIM!!
Hi Sheryl,
Thasnks for visiting my place. Lovely to get to know you through your writing.I will come by surely.
I like your blog name and template.
I love that He is the same yesterday, today and forever & that He will never leave us or forsake us.
During any hard time in my life...times when I had no control, God proved faithful every single time & I grew to love Him more.
Keeping you in my prayers.
Love,
Valerie
God is more than enough.
A statement that I tell myself often. To simply trust and belief.
Of course, a very hard one at times, because my heart is deeply attatched to my husband, girlfriends, etc. God is more than enough.
The statement that I find myself clinging to more than ever is:
5 little words
My God Is In Control
Lovingly,
Yolanda
Hmmm... if I'm brutally honest with myself, I think I have to agree with you: I'm closer to being able to say yes than I once was, but I'm not there yet. Great post, great stuff to ponder & pray about.
I pray that I am getting closer... often, I'm not so sure my behavior reflects my desire to be totally dependent on Him and Him alone
Sheryl, I read your post and was thinking about it after I went to bed. To begin with, I don't think we could give up everything with our emotions but we can with our will. Our emotions can not be relied on, they will cry out for things that are taken but our will can remain steady.
And, there is another thought. There will come a day when everything WILL be taken. When we come to die, Jesus is the only one that we can hold to and know that He will be there waiting to take our hand into a life where there will be no more sorrow, no more pain, no more separation and saying, "good-bye" no more disappointment and heartache.
Yes, Jesus, will be enough!
I wish I could 100% say yes but I really can't imagine it.
As I have gone through different things I'm always amazed that on the other side of it I made it through and I'm ok. Maybe even better off. But if I had know it was coming I would have hide under the covers! LOL
Such a deep and heartfelt question- Sheryl and one that we need to face candidly. A few years back I was struggling with trusting the Lord and I was journaling my thoughts and crying out to Him telling Him how much I desired to trust Him – He said these words to me (not out loud but they could have well been) ‘Have I ever let you down – Myriam?’. I froze in space and answered back out loud ‘No Lord – never’.
Would Jesus be enough? My heart wants to cry yes, yes, and yes. But I doubt He will be right now. I pray that I can answer and trust that He will and the fact of the matter is He is more than enough and then some. I am thankful that He remains faithful. I love Him so.
Myriam
After leaving the computer I had some rethinking to do. I think we would all agree that Jesus is all we will need when we die but I think you are talking about the "here and now." The question that you have asked is truly a thought provoking question.
With me, these feelings facilate. Sometimes He seems so near and my soul is so filled with His love and I feel secure and complete, and can sing, "Jesus is All I Need" But then other times, I am depressed and Jesus seems far removed and then it is a walk of faith and I struggle with everything.
But I love how you get us to really think!
mary
You ALWAYS write such amazing posts.....which is why I LOVE coming here!!!
Stop by my place, I have an award for you!!!
Yes!!! I can say that without hesitation today because I had everything stripped from me 5 years ago--absolutely everything. I had plummeted into deep depression and no one was able to help me--absolutely no one. I never felt more alone and lifeless. I just wanted to get out from under the heaviness that was crushing the life out of me. I couldn't take it any more. I'm sorry if this sounds overdramatic, but I have been to the edge and back, and it was Jesus who brought me back. He put a tiny sparkle of light in my dark pit and the words, "Jesus is the light of the world" in my head. He turned my thoughts from suicide to Jesus. I remember crying out to Him for help and then falling asleep because of the effort it took just to cry out. When I woke up, the deep, dark pit that had always surrounded me was gone and the heaviness on my chest was gone. Every day I asked Jesus for strength and every day He gave it. He put a hope in me where no hope had been. Jesus is enough!!!!!!!!!!
Great post! I think that is a constant stuggle for all Christians.
I found you on the CWO basket contest. I picked Mary, too. :)
Can I add this blog to my blogroll? I'd like to see what else you have to share in the future!
Kellye aka miss 3H - Thanks for stopping by. I was going to come by your blog, but I'm assuming you don't have one?? I appreciate your comments and of course, you may add me to your blogroll. I look forward to hearing from you again!
-Sheryl
No I have one, I dunno why it didn't show up on here. It is www.the3hblog.wordpress.com.
Feel free to take a peek anytime. I will be back here often. =)
thank you for this post!
oh how i want HIM to be everything to me in everyway.
i am learning that HE wants to be, and its these super tough times HE allows us to go through that give us just a glimpse at what the looks and feels like.
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