More Than Enough

My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

There are a number of ideas and events that can cause us to wonder whether Jesus is more than enough in our lives. Today we will focus on loss. When we lose something or someone, we can get caught in the untruth trap of wondering if Jesus is more than enough to meet us in our place of deepest need because that loss is so great in our lives. I have fallen into this trap on more than one occasion; perhaps you have too. I hope that today’s message will encourage you and empower you to rest in the reality that, no matter what you are going through, Jesus is more than enough for you!

The German hymn writer Catharina Von Schlegel put it this way hundreds of years ago: “Be still my soul, your Jesus can repay from His own fullness all He takes away.” Those words are as lovely as they are true, but the battle to sustain in the midst of loss is as real as it is raw, because we are still in the process of being conformed to the image of Jesus. It is not uncommon for us to ask questions like, “Why did God allow this to happen?” . . . “Why is God allowing this trial to continue?” The pain is all too real, but we must learn to look beyond the pain, where we will find the purpose of God. The cross of Jesus makes it clear that there is purpose in pain — all pain — regardless of how agonizing that pain may be.

Job is a wonderful example of someone who understood this truth. God allowed Satan to test Job, and the test was severe. Job lost his wealth, his health, and all ten of his children. He even lost the respect of his wife, who urged him to “Curse God and die” in the midst of his terrible pain. Job did not understand the reasons why he had suffered all this loss, but he trusted in the fact that God is good and was working all things together for his good. Job blessed God as he rested in the reality that God is in sovereign control of all things, including all his losses and crosses:

Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” (Job 1:20-21)

Through every loss, God proved to be more than enough for Job. God showed Job his hope and his happiness were not to be found in anything smaller than God Himself. And that is exactly what Job was able to do. He trusted God even when he could not trace God, and he was able to see God’s purpose in his pain. Job came to the conclusion that God was more than enough, no matter what he was going through.

The question is, “Do we believe that too?” If we fix our focus on Jesus, we will be able to rise above every wave of challenge, knowing that Jesus is always more than enough . . . no matter what.

This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!