Enough is Enough
Our goal at by design ministries is to encourage you and to strengthen your trust in the Lord during these uncertain and unprecedented times. Over the next few weeks we will be reprising articles from our archive that we hope will inspire you and lead you to look to the one who has our times in His hands. This article was originally published in 2009.
by Susan E. Moody
When I was in 6th grade, Laura Cummings invited me to her birthday party. I remember that one of her birthday party favors was that make-your-own-balloon stuff. Also, we got to eat Charleston Chews at the party—12-inch candy bars of delicious fluff covered with decadent chocolate!But the biggest reason I remember this party was the dormant apple cider mill. We decided that a high beam in the mill was the only place safe from some imaginary "bad guys." Laura had gotten a new watch for her birthday, and she took great joy in surprising us by yelling "THE BAD GUYS ARE COMING IN THREE MINUTES!" We would then all run like crazy to get to the mill, climb the ladder up into the rafters, and then scramble out to the end of the beam, the only place truly safe from "the bad guys."
One time, when Laura announced the impending doom, I was in the bathroom. Of course, I was seriously panicked about "the bad guys" getting me, so I needed to buy some time. I could not control the master watch on Laura's wrist so instead, I shouted, "TIME OUT!"There are times in life when I want to call for a Supernatural Time Out. I want to explain to God that I need Him to just give me a break. I will keep running the good race and fighting the good fight, but I need to have a rest first!Have you ever just had it? Ever been so fed up with life - or with your children, your boss, your house, your "To Do" list, your neighbor, your friend - that you just can't stand it anymore? Ever feel like screaming for no apparent reason? Ever want to just yell to the Heavens, "Hey, that's ENOUGH!" I often want to scream it for others too. We live in a fallen world, and there are lots of innocent people who suffer through no fault of their own.One day I was talking to my counselor, and she looked at me with compassion and said she often prayed for me and others "O Lord, enough is enough!" Even as she was sharing with me, I heard the Spirit whisper in my heart "No, Susan, I am enough..." and peace and power flowed over me all at the same time, for I realized that once again, God was healing a wound within me.Too often we focus on the negatives of our lives. What the Spirit whispered to me that day is the answer to this dilemma. In the midst of our struggles with health or finances or relationships or anything, we need to put our eyes on Jesus. For to our weary hearts, when they are screaming "ENOUGH!", Christ instead whispers "No, Dear One, I am enough."This isn't some platitude meant to placate us into submission. It's not a lucky charm or a quick fix solution that magically dissolves all our struggles, solves all our problems and instantaneously melts all our fears. Rather, Christ is really the answer to all that overwhelms. Christ's enough is one of strength for the journey, courage for the difficulties, companionship for the lonely spots, love in a world full of evil, and ultimate purpose in an existence that is truly pointless without Him.God knew that this life would be difficult. So, He inspired the writers of Scripture to record His promises for us to hold on to when life is wearisome and difficult. When we want to shout "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!", God says over and over in Scripture that He is our enough, and He gives us promises to hold on to when all else is falling away:Here are some of these passages that remind us of God's promises:
Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Matthew 11:28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."
1 Corinthians 10:13"And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."
(Other promises from God: Joshua 1:9, Deuteronomy 31:6, Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 32:8, 2 Corinthians 12:8-10.)
Now, I assure you that I have not gotten this all figured out. I don't yet know how to live my life so that my focus always stays on Christ, allows Him to truly be my enough every day.But what I do know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is that God loves me and you with abandon, has offered us salvation and graciously condescends to walk with us through this painful, dirty, sin-sick world. And for right now I am simply choosing to trust that for this minute, that is enough.
Susan Moody loves to use humor to help others learn God's truth, in settings both large and small. She grew up in Maine where her father was the manager of New England Frontier Camp. Susan has a Masters of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, is ordained with the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference, and is currently serving as the Transitional Pastor of the Congregational Church of Chester, VT.