God is More Than Enough

It was an hour past the first chirp of my alarm, and I was still hiding under my covers. I felt overwhelmed by life, and I didn’t want to face the day.

I didn’t want to face the day because I had too much to manage and not enough of what I needed to get through it.

• Not enough patience for a tough conference call.

• Not enough energy to attack my endless to do list.

• Not enough money to cover the month’s bills.

So I hid under my covers and kept hitting the snooze button and begged God to help me, fix me, save me, stretch my time and money. I begged him to be God of my life this day.

Do you do that?

Hide when the piles and pressures get overwhelming? Hide in the hopes that someone will miraculously drop off a time-travel machine or that a money tree will pop up in your yard?

But let’s face it, we are stuck! If you’re like me, we hide and worry and stay under the covers talking to God about all the things that are too overwhelming to face.

That’s where I found myself that day. And as I lay there, hitting the snooze button yet again, an epiphany came to me.

Why was I so concerned about all those issues, as though they were bigger than God? I gasped at the heavenly revelation.

I had made idols out of my schedule, my bank statement, and the projects on my to-do list.

I had allowed them to become greater than God in my mind.

What IS an idol?

An idol is anything that usurps God at the forefront of my thoughts.

If I am worried about money or consumed with thoughts of bitterness or preoccupied with fears, I have replaced God in my mind and heart with those ugly things.

Been there? Can I get an “Ouch”?

I always thought of idols as things like greed or power or fame. I even considered idols to be a person or a possession. But I never saw worry, fear, or bitterness as idols.

That morning, as I hid under the covers begging God for a miracle and willing Jesus to come back today so I didn’t have to face the day’s concerns and issues, the Holy Spirit whispered in my ear, I’m here. I’ll be your God if you let me. Just be still and know I am here. Know that I am your God.

So I lay there, listening to his whispers.

You are loved…

You are not alone…

You can trust me…

The gloom and despair and feelings of being overwhelmed lifted.

Help is always near

Though I made God less than, he made me believe for more. He filled me with himself and coaxed me out of my bedcover cocoon, ready to face my day with his help.

He didn’t rapture me.

Or multiply my time.

And he didn’t drop off a pile of cash.

Nor did he pile on condemnation guilt or shame.

He simply loved me and was with me.

He is more than enough

God conquered my overwhelm with his presence so I could face the day with his strength, his creativity, his patience.

As Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (nlt). And that day, that verse took on new meaning.

God is our strength and courage. And we are enough, have enough, can do enough . . . because he is our More Than Enough.

Why don’t you leave me a comment and tell me how God’s been YOUR enough here lately? I’d love to read it!

Verse

“I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” —Philippians 4:13 NLT

Prayer

God, thank you that you give me strength exactly when I need it, and exactly as much as I need. Forgive me for the times when I make my worries and challenges into idols. Remind me that you alone are God—and that you alone can handle whatever comes my way. Amen.