Sufficiency of Jesus

When I think about my life, I truly cannot consider my days without considering- and savoring- how sufficient Christ has been. 

I love doing word studies; it fascinates me to know what words (and names!) mean. The word sufficiency means “the quality or state of being sufficient.” The word sufficient means “enough to meet the needs of a situation or proposed end.” Synonyms for sufficient are “enough (fully meeting demands, needs, or expectations” competent (measuring up to all requirements without question” Jesus is sufficient. He is enough. He is competent. Jesus meets the needs of a situation or proposed end. Jesus fully meets demands, needs, or expectations. Jesus measures up to all requirements without question. Jesus is sufficient. This is something that has been a continual theme in my life, but much more this past year.

I sought the LORD and He answered me,

and delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to Him are radiant,

and their faces will never be put to shame.

Psalm 34:4-5

I grew up in a home, by God’s grace, where I truly have no recollection of any day that I was not told I was loved by God and loved by my parents. I knew of His love. I knew in my head how big and great God was, but there was a disconnect to my heart. I was 8 years old when my grandfather died; I remember watching my mom weep, overcome with grief at losing her daddy. As she grieved, her first response was to cry out to God, to ask for Him to comfort her and draw near. I never could forget that. In her deepest moment of grief, she looked to Christ. A year after that the scales were removed from my eyes and my heart was opened to see Jesus for who He was; and it was then I confessed and believed and began following Him. That was 27 years ago. I remember the contagious joy I had. I couldn’t help BUT tell everyone I met how great Jesus love was; how His blood saves us. In that moment, in my small little 9 year old life, Jesus was my everything. He was sufficient. As I grew, the things of the world slowly began to enter in and wage war for the turf of my heart.

The desire for marriage and a family was birthed in me at a very young age. I was 12 years old when I began praying for my future husband and children. I sat on the edge of my bed, holding my stomach, and in tears begged and prayed that God would save my kids young and that they would follow Him. There was a sweetness and a genuine purity to that prayer, but also a fearful desperation. I began to view life through the lenses of God’s goodness being directly linked to a temporal blessing that I didn’t just hope He would give me; I expected Him to give me. The 15 years that followed were years marked by a lot of wrestling; a lot of difficult pruning and sanctification; there were seasons of seeking Christ that were purely motivated by His glory and bathed in His love; there were other seasons where I slowly saw the seeds of self-righteousness take root and being to spread and my prayers began to focus on my wants and perceived needs, and less about His honor and glory. 

Idolatry and self-righteousness ran rampant in my life for years; but I knew how to conceal it, how to pretend it wasn't there. In my pride, I believed I deserved so much more than I had, because of the righteous way I was living my life. The Lord, in His great and deep love for me, turned my heart inside out, revealing this deep idolatry and worship of creation rather than Creator. Out of love, He disciplined me and reminded me of the better way. In His grace, He began picking up the pieces of so much brokenness and with each passing year I began to see, more and more clearly, how beautiful Christ was, how sufficient He was, how worthy He was. He was worthy of my all. Not portions of my heart, my whole heart. 

I have looked upon You in the sanctuary,

beholding Your power and glory.

Because Your steadfast love is better than life,

my lips will praise You.

Psalm 63:2-3

At the age of 25, I experienced for the first time the "dark night of the soul." I was laying in bed weeping, so sad that my life was so different at 25 than I ever imagined. In that grief, I felt the Lords arms around me and Him whisper in my hear, “I have you My daughter. I love you. You are Mine.” I began to not just have a head knowledge, but a HEART belief, that His nearness is truly my greatest good. Jesus was sufficient. 

Through the continual ebbs and flows of jobs in ministry and missions, through the wrestles of heartbreak in singleness and dating, through deep anxiety, fear, and panic attacks after a year of loss after loss after loss ending with the death of my best friend, through surrendering my career and days to HIM- and then being graciously gifted my dream job and laying that before Him, through the fears of failure and inadequacy, fear of man, pushing through exhaustion and weariness... in all of this, I have seen Christ prove Himself to be so good, so gracious, so worthy. Jesus is sufficient.

And let's talk about this past year. Y’all. This past year. I started 2020 with a freak accident tearing my MCL. I experienced an unexpected hurt that felt so isolating and lonely in the midst of a pandemic. The first 9 weeks of COVID, I wasn’t touched my another human being. And then the isolation and fear of being close to anyone; figuring out ministry virtually, being unable to see family, etc... Nights were especially so lonely. But never was I alone. As a beautiful repeat of 11 years ago, I felt the Lords arms around me night after night after night, and Him whisper in my hear, “I have you My daughter. I love you. You are Mine.” The days turned into months and before I knew it, a year passed. And Christ, Christ was sufficient. 

I know and understand grief and loss in a way today that I never envisioned knowing and understanding. But I’ve said this many times before, and I’ll say it many times after this- I have never known grief without the company of my Savior. Jesus is sufficient. Always. He’s not just sufficient in a way that I can “make it” each day, but He’s sufficient in a way that I can rejoice each day; that I can jump and shout, leap and praise, even through my tears. Even in my weariness.

Come to Me, all who weary and are heavy laden,

and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and lowly in heart,

and you will find rest for your souls.

For My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

A year ago this month the Lord led me to Psalm 61:1-4, and it’s become a cry of my heart, day after day. “God, hear my cry; pay attention to my prayer. I call to You from the ends of the earth when my heart is without strength. Lead me to a rock that is high above me, for You have been a refuge for me, a strong tower in the face of the enemy. I will dwell in Your tent forever and take refuge under the shadow of Your wings.” 

• We serve a God who hears our cries
• Who pays attention
• When my heart is weary, when your heart is weary, when the hearts of loved ones are weary- He leads us. He draws near
• He is a refuge for us
• A strong tower when the lies of the enemy come; when the wiles of the enemy overwhelm
• He is our refuge
• We dwell with HIM- and there is no safer place to dwell
• Under the shadow, the protection, of His wings, we take refuge.
• Psalm 63:7 says its there we sing for JOY.

JOY. We sing for JOY. In the pain that this world brings- we sing for JOY because Jesus is sufficient. When the stark realities hit us that this is not our home, we sing for JOY. Because He is enough. Because He meets, and EXCEEDS, our needs.

I often harken back to my salvation- I think about Psalm 51 when David says, “return to me the joy of my salvation”- when Christ called me to Himself 27 years ago, my joy was contagious. I think of that often- praying daily I would be a walking example of JOY found in Christ. Because HE is sufficient.

He’s sufficient when the tears won’t stop. He’s sufficient when the laughter is overflowing. He’s sufficient in the losses. He’s sufficient in the blessings. He's sufficient, always.

Nevertheless, I am continually with You.

You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel,

and afterward You will receive me to glory.

Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing

on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and

my heart may fail, but You, O God, You are the strength

of my life an my portion forever.

Psalm 73:23-26

Check out Isaiah 43:1-7

This is a beautiful picture of God’s covenant with His people - we see it throughout the Old Testament. God makes a covenant beginning with Abraham and keeps His covenant generation after generation. And then we get to David. And in and through David the people of God are promised a forever King; The ultimate fulfillment of the covenant; the promised King; the son of David. Our sufficiency. And we, the people of God in 2021, are beneficiaries of that King who came, lived, died, rose, ascended. So when God says in vs 3-4- He gives peoples and nations for His people- and ultimately, gave HIS SON, for His people. THIS is love.

We see these promises now in Christ. 

When we pass through the waters and storms and fires of this life, we are not alone.

Christ is sufficient.

Consider

Take a few moment and consider the losses you have experienced this past year.

Where you’ve had to walk through the water.

Where you’ve endured the fire.

Lament can be difficult sometimes, but it’s an important part of life.

Lament. Grief. Accepting loss.

These can be losses you yourself have experienced; losses you’ve experienced through someone else; loss as you’ve ministered; loss in your family.

Take a moment and read this beautiful liturgy.

Breathe out sorrow

Breathe in joy

Breathe out lament

Breathe in hope

Breathe out pain

Breathe in comfort

Breathe out sorrow

Breathe in joy.

Now consider all the ways that Christ has been and will continue to be sufficient despite the loss you have or are experiencing. How He gives JOY, deep and lasting joy, even in the hurt and pain. Even in the grief, there is joy.

Psalm 9:1-2 says,

I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all Your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Let's recount His wondrous deeds, family.

Let's remember His love.

Let's sing His praise. 

He is faithful.

Always.