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I Don’t Need to Be Enough: Jesus is Enough

I Don't Need to Be Enough: Jesus is Enough

Have you ever felt like you’re not enough? My hand’s raised. 

Maybe the less-than feeling stems from a relationship, job, competition, role, life dream, comparison, our own inner critic, perfectionism, or other.

And the enemy of our soul is often behind our negative self-talk and the world’s expectations that lead to I’m-not-enough thoughts.

The enemy will even use other people to drive the point home in our hearts.

But—and this “but” may surprise you—the phrase You are enough circulating on social media and in articles and podcasts and so on, gives us the idea that we are enough in and of ourselves. 

While I really do understand the sentiments behind the popular statement; friends, it’s simply not true. I am not enough in myself. Jesus is enough. 

The phrase "You are enough" gives us the idea that we are enough in and of ourselves. Friends, it’s simply not true. I am not enough in myself. Jesus is enough.  Click To Tweet

Because Jesus is enough, it gives us a complete identity in Him. We no longer need to concern ourselves with what the world or people say is enough. 

Also, we quit comparing ourselves to anyone else. It’s so freeing to know who I am in Christ and letting go of comparison. I’m thankful God doesn’t create cookie-cutter people.

So let’s look at how Jesus is E.N.O.U.G.H. and how it helps us see ourselves in the correct light.

Jesus Is Enough

E – Endured the Cross. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)

Jesus endured the cross so we didn’t have to.

I Don't Need to Be Enough: Jesus is Enough

N – Nailed sin and condemnation to the cross. “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14 (ESV)

O – Obtained grace. “Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:2 (ESV)

United and Healed

U – United us to Himself. This brought us near to God. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to him through the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13 (NLT)

G – Guaranteed our spiritual inheritance. Ephesians 1 speaks about our spiritual blessings in Christ. “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV)

And Jesus became “the guarantor of a better covenant.” (Hebrews 7:22, ESV)

H – Healed us by His wounds. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 (ESV)

“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)

I Don’t Need to Be Enough

I don’t need to be enough when I have Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. He lives in me and reigns in my heart. Jesus is enough. And that’s enough.

I don’t need to be enough when I have Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. He lives in me and reigns in my heart. Jesus is enough. And that’s enough. Click To Tweet
I Don't Need to Be Enough: Jesus is Enough

So the next time you see the phrase “You are enough”, quietly remind your heart of the truth. And rest securely in Jesus’ sufficient and ample nature you have access to through the accomplished work on the cross.

Featured images from filming for our YouTube Channel, Friday’s Forever.

Last week’s post, Stop Carrying Regret Like a Ball and Chain.

Sometimes I participate in these link-ups:

Legacy Linkup/Inspire Me Monday/Tell His Story/Recharge Wednesday/Let’s Have Coffee/Tune in Thursday/Embracing the Unexpected (Grace & Truth).


© 2023 by Karen Friday, All rights reserved

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May 4, 2023 at 8:30 am | Uncategorized


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Yvonne Morgan says:

I sometimes have the same feelings and that is when I remind myself that Jesus is enough and that is what matters. He is all I need. Thank you Karen for the encouragement today.

Karen says:

Jesus is what matters most. “Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:2 (ESV)

Amen. I need to remember that I don’t need to be something I am not just to please others. I am enough because I am His.

Karen says:

That’s true, Melissa. I’m grateful Jesus endured the cross so we didn’t have to.

Jesus is enough. Wonderful words to remind us that this world is not our home. Thanks, Karen. God bless!

Karen says:

Appreciate your comment, Nancy. Rest securely in Jesus’ sufficient and ample nature you have access to through the accomplished work on the cross.

Since my website was hacked, I’ve been feeling completely inadequate. It took so much work to try to recover the thoughts of the posts that simply vanished. I now had posts that were still up, but everyone’s comments had vanished. My autoimmune disease attacks me relentlessly. I have difficult doctor visits coming up, and my large family is scattered across the country. Please pray for me. Leaning on Jesus is necessary, and that is a moment by moment necessity.

Karen says:

Melinda, I’m sure your blog issues and your autoimmune disease would lend toward inadequacy and feeling not enough. I’m so sorry you were hacked. I’ll never understand why people don’t have anything better to do with their time and digital talents. Jesus as “a moment by moment necessity” is a good thing for us all to remember. I’m covering you in prayer, friend. “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5 (ESV)

Jesus is absolutely enough for me, Karen! In Him and through Him, I can rest assured that I am a child of God – that’s everything to me.
Blessings!

Karen says:

Agree, Martha, He’s everything we need. I don’t need to be enough when I have Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. He lives in me and reigns in my heart. Jesus is enough. And that’s enough. God bless.

J.D. Wininger says:

Amen sweet sister. It doesn’t matter who we are, it matters Who is in us and we are in. That’s Who and What makes us enough, because Jesus Christ is. Well said ma’am.

Karen says:

Thank you, J.D. I like how you said it’s about Who and What makes us enough. Because Jesus is enough, it gives us a complete identity in Him. We no longer need to concern ourselves with what the world or people say is enough.

Jessica Brodie says:

I love this so much. You are right… forget “you’re enough.” Don’t even worry about it! For on my own, I’m never enough–no one is. Yet with Jesus, we’re enough. And Jesus is enough. Our identity as Christians is completely rooted in and dependent upon Him.

Karen says:

So true, Jessica, no one is enough on our own or in and of ourselves.

I love this, Karen! Too often we’re striving to be enough as mothers, daughters, wives. Enough in our positions of influence. But Christ makes us enough when we’re filled with the Spirit.

Blessings,
Tammy

Karen says:

Yes, Tammy, agree 100%. Sometimes it’s our “roles” that we wrongly let define us and make us feel less than adequate. But when we keep in step with the Spirit and let Christ live in us, it makes all the difference in the world.

Aritha says:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the “You Are Enough” topic. I can definitely relate to feeling like I’m not enough sometimes, and it can be difficult to shake those thoughts. However, I agree with your perspective that our identity is found in Jesus, and He is enough.

In Dutch we have a little poem:

Search Jesus often,
search Jesus early.
Whoever has Jesus,
has enough.

Karen says:

Aritha, what a great poem, thanks for sharing it. That sums it up perfectly!

Amen. I have written about this very topic. And I LOVE your acrostic.

Karen says:

Thank you, Lauren. I’ll have to check out your article on this too.

I do have the thoughts of not being enough but because Jesus is more than enough so I can disregard these. Thank you Karen for ENOUGH.

Reply

Karen says:

You certainly can disregard those lies from the enemy, Deborah. We find our suffiency in Christ alone.

Donna says:

Thank you, Karen, for helping us to find our sufficiency and identity in Christ!

Karen says:

Jesus. Is. Enough. And that’s enough.

Letetia says:

As a busy mom, it’s so important to remember that I don’t need to be enough “when I have Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior” Its so easy to try to be everything for everyone, and then feel like not enough. But, I will be never be enough. But, through Christ I can be and do what He calls me to, and that is more than enough. Thanks for sharing!

Karen says:

Such a good word. Agree, the pressure is off to be enough for others or even myself. Jesus. Is. Enough.

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