What is "Enough?"

Enough: as much are as many as required. A word that means sufficient, a job done, plenty. Satisfaction guaranteed, checking all the boxes, accomplishment.Enough.Easy to define, harder to enact.Do we have enough food? Is there enough money? Are you having enough fun?But, more poignantly: am I enough?Good enough.Pretty enough.Skinny enough.Talented enough.Driven enough.Worth enough.Qualified enough.Prepared enough.Lovable enough.The list goes on.Maybe what it all comes down to though is this: are we, am I, enough for God?Most of us know the answer to this question—yes, your power is made perfect in my weakness, I can do all things, He who began a good work will see it through to completion, and a whole cadre of other verses and teachings that are made to assure us that this “enoughness” we seek is and only can be found in Christ.Easy to know, but harder to believe.Harder to believe when you feel like you’re not doing enough to minister to others.Harder to believe when you wake up and feel inadequate.Harder to believe when the world is constantly telling you to do this and change that and look like this.All this may seem a bit bleak, but these thoughts about being enough actually came from a place of motivation and hope, of striving and seeking, not doubting and failing.I love my job working at a church, I love how I’m constantly being challenged to go deeper, reach more, and stretch myself spiritually. But that same positive challenge to reach the next person for Jesus can turn to feelings of inadequacy pretty dang quick when coupled with the doubts the world is constantly throwing our way day in and day out.I’m not sure that this life was made to help us believe we’re enough, probably just the opposite. But I do know we’ll never get any closer to believing we’re enough if we stay in that place, letting the world and its version of truth dictate our worthiness or lack thereof.Comparison won’t get us anywhere either.Well he’s doing that, so I should be doing that but 10 times better, right?She has this, so I must too.They’re spending their time this way, is the way I spend my time wrong? No.As long as you’re running after Jesus and pursuing hearts for Him, you’re running in the right direction. Sure, there’s always more you can do. There will always be days when you’ll feel like crawling back under the covers as soon as your alarm goes off, but I promise He’ll meet you in those dark places, that’s His specialty.A friend of mine, wise beyond her years, told me this the other day: it’s like we’re all part of a giant puzzle. You’re the piece next to me in the puzzle, and if you weren’t there I, wouldn’t be complete. Someone else is the piece beside you, helping you become complete, supported, challenged, and loved, too.I’m not saying it won’t be a battle—weekly, daily, hourly—to feel like you’re enough. But I promise, you are. No matter how you feel right now. No matter how you feel tomorrow. You’re enough, because He is.words by Kaylyn Deiter and photo by Leah Van Otterloo