We live in a society of “want” – and we want it now! I can eat out – but I wonder why my fast food is taking so long. I can pump my own gasoline – but I get annoyed answering the questions first. I love all the things I can get accomplished without even getting out of my car! (Coffee, pharmacy, bank, dry cleaners…).
All this convenience, however, distorts my view of what really makes me satisfied in my life. It makes life easier. It makes me think I can accomplish more, more quickly. But that is all on the surface. It doesn’t satisfy my soul. All of the easy comfort of modern life is never “enough” to keep me happy. Only when God is enough are my soul and my life truly satisfied.
Numbers 16: The Levites had been set apart from the rest of the Israelites to serve God and to minister to his people. That honor was not enough for them. They also wanted the priesthood. The sins of pride and ambition had taken over their hearts and they began falsely accusing Moses. Moses replied to their accusations by questioning their gratitude for everything that God had done for them. He asked them a simple question: “Isn’t that enough?”
Sound familiar? This year will be my 30th spiritual birthday. I have been set apart from the rest of the world to serve God and to minister to his people. I had been given the priesthood. Yet, as a disciple, I am frequently drawn into the world, into my own desires, and into wanting more. Pride and ambition take over my heart, and I become discontent, ungrateful, and unholy. God has to be enough for me.
When I began to study the Bible, I saw clearly how I needed to change to really live like a disciple in my everyday life. I decided to be ALL IN from the very beginning. God had proven over and over in the Scriptures that He was enough for me and always would be. He gave his son for me. What else could I ask? When I was baptized, I made the decision that God would be enough for me for the rest of my life. Once I made that decision, it would constantly be challenged! And that is how my faith grew over the years.
I can’t recount all the times and ways that I have struggled to be content in God and God alone. In every difficult situation, putting my hope in God has been a decision, and God has always proven that he is enough.
I remember being in college and not having the money to pay what I owed on my taxes. It was frightening to me, and I couldn’t see where I could possibly get the money. But, I decided to trust in God and watch him work. Of course, he did, and I was able to pay my taxes. I remember times when my employer did not pay me, and I had no money to buy groceries. I wasn’t sure how I would eat! But God took care of me. The next day, I came into my apartment and two bags of groceries were on my counter. I vowed then that I would feed others whenever I could.
When I had been a Christian for about four and a half years, I lost my job. In my quiet times, I focused on trusting God, being content in any and every situation, and deciding that God’s plan was enough. I would need those lessons a month later, when my husband was diagnosed with leukemia. I was eight and a half months pregnant with our second child. I remember pulling up to a red light on the way home from the hospital the first night after his diagnosis and telling God that no matter what I would not leave my relationship with him. I knew that God’s way was the only path that was worth following in the face of these challenges. And the challenges kept coming.
Two weeks after my husband was diagnosed with cancer, my two-year-old broke out with chicken pox, followed by my newborn! Next, our landlord decided to sell the home where we lived, so we had to move. By that point, my husband was very sick. I bounced between trying to do it all myself, trusting God, feeling overwhelmed and being very tired.
After two years of fighting leukemia, my husband passed away faithful in the Lord. Would God be enough for me even after I suffered such a painful loss? I decided that God had really messed up. I couldn’t figure out how this – a dead husband, two toddlers, no job at 28 – was a perfect plan. I was tempted over and over again to take my life back into my own hands – after all, I could probably do a better job with it. Discontent. Ungrateful. Unholy.
I had to fight through my pride and my ambition. As I poured through the Bible and cried out to God, I realized that God was still there. His love hadn’t changed. His plan was still perfect. He was still enough for me.
It wasn’t long until I met Rick Norris. His wife had passed away a few years earlier. He was a devoted disciple and father. We dated and married. We began to build a blended family that would bring glory to God as He brought triumph out of tragedy. But life wasn’t perfect, and we had to trust God to be enough for our new family even when we struggled.
God had to be enough when we didn’t know how to help the kids get along, when we didn’t get time to go on dates, when we watched our children struggle through anger, fear, insecurity, and unbelief. God has outdone himself. He has always been more than enough in every situation for us.
My life is amazing. I could have never imagined all that God has done. Our children are grown now. Two of them are married, and we are expecting our first grandchild in a few days. They are successful, thoughtful, giving adults. They serve the church in leading Bible talks with young marrieds, campus students and teens. My husband and I now have even more free time to serve God and minister to his people. We lead small groups and travel all over the world to encourage the disciples in other countries. We Skype with friends and church leaders all over the world every month. We are growing and learning and loving the plan that God had for us – a plan that neither of us could have predicted. I am truly satisfied in my soul. I am grateful and content – but I am still unholy! Being content in God is a struggle, but what a worthwhile struggle it is!
When you see yourself drawn to the world, your own desires and wanting more than what you already have, decide that God is enough. The next time you need money, food, forgiveness in a relationship, a relationship, a job, or anything else, I would encourage you to make a decision that God is enough. When you wonder if God hears you, if he sees you, or if he even cares anymore, let God be enough.
As you watch your life unfold, you will be deeply satisfied at what God has in his plan just for you.
Other scriptures for study: Exodus 20:24-26, Numbers 3:12-14, Psalms 4:3, Psalms 32:1, Psalms 73:23-26, Jeremiah 1:5, John 10:6, Hebrews 7:6, 2 Peter 1:3, 1 Peter 2:9-10.
