Did you know you aren’t enough? I know, that’s a harsh way to start off your Wednesday, but, it’s true, you aren’t enough. I am not enough. We are not enough. But, there is some good news. Jesus is enough. And even better news? He is enough FOR us. When we have new life in Christ, he makes us enough through him. He gives us enough strength, enough hope, enough joy, enough for each day.
Dr. Barry Jones talked about this on Sunday, reminding us that when we live under the “tyranny of enough” it tells us that we need to try harder, fake it, and don’t screw up. And oh my goodness, don’t we all feel that way sometimes? I know I daily struggle with idea of perfectionism, with this idea that I need to be enough to be accepted and to belong. To be loved I need to perform. I hear this voice saying “that wasn’t good enough, try harder. Who do you think you are? Cover that mess up!” It’s a harsh and angry voice. It’s a demanding voice that pushes me to try and make my own way and not trust in Jesus.
As Dr. Jones was preaching on Sunday, I heard this song from one of my favorite bands playing in my mind. It’s called “Blood Pressure” by MUTEMATH. I feel like this song represents the voice of the “Tyranny of Enough” in my life,
Why can't you be more like your older brother?
Why can't you do a little more for Jesus?
Blood pressure
…
Do better
Keep risin'
…
You're on the road
On the road that's bound for nowhere
Why don't you do what you're told?
…
Don't worry I'll help you out on one condition
Be more
Do more
These words stand in stark opposition of the voice of Jesus. His voice is calm, it’s reassuring, it’s encouraging. He reminds me that he isn’t asking me to do more, no he is asking me to trust him and to follow him. He is asking us as a Church to follow him. One of my favorite scriptures that reminds me how God asks us to love is Micah 6:8:
What does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love mercy,
and to walk humbly with your God?
These words reminds me of what the Lord asks of me, and it’s not to be enough. He asks me to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with him. On our own, I don’t think we would have much justice, mercy, or humbleness, but when we choose to walk with him, we have access to all of those things. We can give justice when we remember that God didn’t give us what we deserve. We can act with mercy, because God has given mercy to us. And we can be humble when we remember how big our God is in relation to us humans. When I remember that am but dust and he is the eternal God of the universe, which keeps me humble and dependent on God.
The other idea that sets me free from the “tyranny of enough,” is the two greatest commandments, to love God and love others. If I follow this, if we follow this, then we are free from needing to be enough, from performing, from our blood pressure rising so high with our efforts that we explode. When we love God and love others, we walk in peace, knowing that God has everything taken care of and that he is more than enough for us.
This week, let’s walk in humbleness, in mercy, in justice, believing and trusting God to be enough for each and everything we face at home, at work, at school, in life.