Imagine sensing God asking you this question, “Am I Enough?” I know what the answer should be; however, if I am completely honest, I am uncertain of how many times I would actually answer in the affirmative. In my head, I am fully aware of the sacrifice it took for Jesus to provide me with grace. To choose to become a human being and face the ills of this world, and then to be humiliated, rejected, tortured and killed, Jesus did all this for me and you. And Yet, I cling to the ways of this world and the knowledge of His sufficiency doesn’t seem to travel the 18 Inches to my heart. Again, God asks, “Am I Enough?” and I answer, “No, today it doesn’t seem like you are.” The experiences of this world longingly call to me. I know that the desires of this world will not satisfy, And Yet, I desire to experience the “normal” milestones that seem so natural for everyone else. I want you to be enough, Lord, but I must exist in this culture that values so many worldly things and distracts me so often from my God-Given Space.

The question of Am I Enough? was not originally asked of me, but when Christa Smith shared her story of this question in Singled Out in a Couples World, my heart plummeted because He was engaging me with this plea as well. Smith shares, “He wanted to remove any and all conditions within me that were required for my happiness. He wanted to take my versions of happiness that were circumstance-based and make them God-based.” Smith challenges us to address this question in all areas of our lives, not just in the dimension of considering a marital status. “In every season you will be confronted with this question, ‘If you never get what you are praying for and believing for, is He enough?’ This is so difficult and yet so necessary. Allowing the Lord to become enough now will release such peace and rest in you during the [Waiting Rooms] of life.”

Feeling challenged to Wrestle With God over this issue of contentment, I am encouraged by Smith’s heart, “Don’t allow the question to scare you off! The question has to be asked because this whole journey is about going deeper in the Lord. You and I have one life to live for Him. Let’s live it to the fullest. I want your journey to be full of trust, full of peace, and full of joy.” I think Smith might desire that we live a flourishing life. Her challenge leads me to the next step where I must ask myself, “What am I allowing into my heart and mind that prevents this feeling of flourishing?” What proactive actions should I implement when I find myself heading down the path of not feeling as if He is enough?

I can find solace in Romans 7 that even a devout Christ follower like Paul shared similar struggles. In verses 15-20 Paul shares, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing” (NLT). If such a sincere follower of Christ also struggled with knowing what was needed to live his best life, a flourishing life, then what hope do I have? And Yet, I do have a hope because sanctification is a life-long process, and it’s not just up to me. Yes, I have choices to make in this life and choosing to embrace within my heart that Yes, you are enough, Lord, may be difficult, but it is necessary.

Smith encourages me with her words, “You and I have to choose every day whether we put God first. Choice is the foundation of this testing process…The Lord gave us free will because He wanted us to choose Him and His ways above our own. He doesn’t want puppets or forced lovers. He wants son and daughters who want Him and choose Him above all else. Laying that dream down and trusting God with it was a deep and difficult journey for me.”  Smith’s journey with decades of singleness, my own Struggle With Singleness, and your struggle with [fill-in-the-blank], it’s important for us to be consistently reminded that God Is Enough. He has promised He will provide for all of our needs, just perhaps not all of our wants.

Accepting that I can surrender my hopes and dreams to a God that cares reassures me that I can fully trust Him “with the timing of my life.” He has demonstrated past-tense providence that He will apply to my present-day circumstances, so that I can have Holy Confidence that He will also provide for my future-tense challenges. Have you ever Wrestled With God over the question, “Am I Enough?” Would you please consider sharing your experience with us in the comments below?

Reference:

Smith, C. (2021). Singled out in a couples world: Living a fulfilled life regardless of your relationship status. [Kindle version]. NEWTYPE.