Is God Enough?

I’ve had enough!  Enough is enough.  There aren’t enough hours in a day.  Is that loud enough?  I’m mad enough to…  That’s enough for now.  Good enough. 

Enough?

Merriam-Webster dictionary defines enough as:  “Occurring in such quantity, quality, or scope as to fully meet demands, needs, or expectations.”

If we really think about it, there are so many things that occur in such quantity that sometimes it takes our breath away.  Various tragedies that we experience fill our mind with enough pain, sadness and misery that it is hard to cope through the day.  Losing a job fills us with enough insecurities that we become consumed with being a “less than kind of person.”  Gaining weight opens the door to simply trying to find enough clothes to fit properly.  Then there is pouring our heart and soul into trying to please someone so much that we feel we can’t do enough to please them or earn their respect. 

Enough is a big word in the scheme of things.  Is enough really enough?  Are we always trying to fill our glass full or is the glass simply enough?  Is it possible that we work so hard to be enough that we grow tried and weary and frustrated and heartbroken and depressed and lonely and afraid and reckless in the pursuit of making others happy? 

Is it ever ok to say, “Enough?” 

I was told once, “I was enough.”  I really didn’t get what the person was trying to tell me.  I actually had to look up the word, enough.  When I discovered that I was fully meeting needs or expectations, it occurred to me that it isn’t what a person does for someone else that ultimately brings people closer together, rather, it is the heart of love that brings people together and that a person can say to the other, you are enough.  Isn’t that wonderful?!  It made my day big time to hear, I am enough!

I am not one who does anything for anyone so that I can be enough for someone to like me.  I do because I thoroughly enjoy helping others.  God wired me that way.  On the other hand, there are insecurities that bombard me in which I need others to fill me with enough positive affirmation to combat the negativities that consume my mind.  You know what I’m talking about, right?  It is challenging, demanding and frustrating to needy so that there is enough positive affirmation. 

Someone also said, “Is God enough?” or “Do you need people more than you need God?”  The response was, sure, God is enough.  Really?  Is he?  Does he fill the void enough?  Does he provide enough?  Does he care enough? Does he love enough?  Does he forgive enough?  Does he….do anything enough?

The Apostle Paul struggled big time in the pursuit of sharing Jesus.  The day he became a Jesus follower, his life changed forever.  He lost friends.  The established Apostles didn’t trust him at first.  He was jailed.  Beaten. Stoned.  Lied about.  Rejected.  Enough is enough for one person to endure, right? 

Listen to what Paul said about God being enough, “You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes.” (Philippians 4:19-20 – The Message)

The Apostle understood that in negative circumstances you don’t “throw up your hands and shout, ENOUGH, rather, it is being sure that God will take very good care of you…because he is ENOUGH!

No matter what is happening in our lives, God is always enough to get us through the tough stuff.  He has enough resources to aide us.  He has enough connections to provide for us.  He has enough abilities to place someone at our door to help us, love us, and care for us. He has enough of whatever you need to get from one day to the next day.  The question is:  Will you be willing to say, God, you’re enough?

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

Running Back to God

The word “control” has become a key word in social settings either in media, politics, coffee shops or kitchen table conversations. 

Every time there is a mass shooting, “control” of guns makes its way back to the debate stage.  News media outlets flood the airwaves to discuss the pros and cons of gun control and debate our nations 2^nd Amendment Rights to bear arms.  Social Media become a blistering place where arguments pin friends against friends in their pursuit of winning the gun control argument.   

Gun control isn’t the only issue that takes center stage.  For some, birth control is a huge issue.  For others, drugs and the need to control them is paramount.  No matter what control issue is at the forefront, it is interesting to watch and listen to people become out of control as they do their best to convince others they are right. 

Maybe you’ve heard phrases such as: Control your kids or you’re out of control or the car lost control or I’m tired of being controlled.  The word control is significant and needs to be taken seriously. 

Google’s online definition of control is: “The power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events.”  Think about the definition for a bit.  “The power to influence or direct…” Is it possible that all of us attempt to “influence or direct people’s behavior” almost on a daily basis?  Is it possible that parents or preachers or politicians or teacher or doctors or news commentators in some way “influence or direct people’s behavior?”

Wait!

How can parenting be lump in the same category as fighting to control gun laws or the birth control debate?  The key is understanding the terminology of the word, “control.”  A parent’s responsibility is to influence and direct [child] behavior for the betterment of the home and society.  Ephesians 6:4 says, “Parents, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.” (NLT)

Influence is key.  Positive influence is vitally important to have godly families, godly communities and a godly nation. 

Legislatively, government can establish all kinds of “control” laws in order to stop the negative influence and madness of mass shootings, gang violence, drug abuse, or unwanted pregnancies; but until our nation sees the value in living a God-controlled life, then our nation will continue to experience the epidemic of out of control people.  

Psalm 22:27-28 says it best, “From the four corners of the earth people are coming to their senses, are running back to God.  Long-lost families are falling on their faces before him. God has taken charge; from now on he has the last word.”(The Message) 

There needs to be a “running back to God” so no one has to fear walking down a city street or going to school or church or concert.  There needs to be a “running back to God” so that the drug epidemic ceases to be problematic. There needs to be a “running back to God” so that our legislators are not tangled up in fashionable trends of social acceptance, but rather, legislating godly values and principles. 

A “running back to God” means that God is the “The power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events.”  When God is in control, then the mass shootings stop and the drug epidemic ceases to be and people will feel save again to walk down a street without fear or sit in a classroom without worrying if their school will be the next casualty. 

Ultimately there are two things all of us can do now:

            1.  Run back to God!

            2.  Be God Controlled!

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

             

           

Life's Tough

“Rain, rain go away, come back another day!”  I’ve said that rhyme countless times as a kid, especially when there was a big event outside or I had a baseball game or some other activity that the rain would have cancelled it.  

Like rain, there are many things in life that could fit into the rhyme, such as, Pain.  Cancer.  Death. Fear.  Loneliness.  Emptiness. And, the list can go on for miles and miles. 

Who really wants setbacks, difficulties, painful experiences, bad medical news, loneliness or fear?  No one!  No one wakes up and says, “I really hope this is the worse day ever!”  No one calls a friend and says, “I can’t wait to be miserable today!”  No one goes to the doctor and says, “Hey doc, please tell me the worse news possible.”  No one wants bad news, bad days or bad experiences. 

However.

Bad news, bad days and bad experiences are all a part of our life’s journey.  Ok, I get it, this isn’t the most pleasant reading and it is a bit depressing.  King David was no exception to dealing with the tough stuff of life.  He cried out to God and said, “ Long enough, God—you’ve ignored me long enough. I’ve looked at the back of your head long enough. Long enough
I’ve carried this ton of trouble, lived with a stomach full of pain. Long enough my arrogant enemies have looked down their noses at me.” (Psalm 13:1-2—The Message)

Is it possible that all of us could say, “Long enough, God?”  When is the end in sight?  Where is the relief?  Where is the help?  When is the cure coming?  Stop!  Please let it stop!  No more! 

“Go away, but never come back another day!”

God?  You there?  This is me…the one you created by your own hands.  Did you forget me?  God?  Hello?  You there?  I need you!  I really need you!  Please God, answer me.  It is so tiring to try and pay the electric bill or hope to have enough gas in the car with a little bit of money.  It is frustrating to pray and yet it seems like nothing is getting better.  I want you, God.  I desire no one but you; however, when will the “rain” stop?  When will the heartache stop hurting?  When will the loneliness go away?  When will the gloom find its way out and the sun find its way through the thickness of adversity?

I want to say what King David said, “The Lord is my shepherd, and there is no one I want besides you.” (Psalm 23:1)  I want to believe, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” (Hebrews 13:5—The Message) And, I want to be assured that there is ultimate joy when life is tough and painful and hard and hectic and downright miserable. 

God, the Prophet Jeremiah said, “Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.” (Jeremiah 33:3—The Message) Thank you God for reassuring us that you will not leave us in difficult times and that you will give us answers to life’s challenges and painful experiences and hard to deal with situations. 

You, Father, get our full attention and respect.  While it is easy to whine about a lot of things, it is knowing that you really do care, provide and do constant check ups on each of the billons of kids you have that gets us through the rough spots of life.   

Father, Father, Come to stay and never ever go away!

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian