Enough...

 Enough: adequate for the want or need; sufficient for the purpose to satisfy desire (dictionary.com) 

Why I hate this word

I have a love/hate relationship with this word because much of my Christian life was defined by it. The constant question that plagued me was "Am I doing enough?" Did I read the bible enough that day? Did I pray enough? Did I serve my neighbor enough? Did I love God enough? Did I surrender enough? Am I passionate for Christ enough? Did my life adequately display enough sanctification for me to be qualified to take comfort in the Gospel?  Do I even believe the Gospel enough? 

I wonder how many Christians walk around with their minds constantly plagued by questions like this. I wonder and my eyes fill with tears, because I know that it is absolutely exhausting.  I often think about the hours of sermons I listened to that subconsciously urged me to keep looking to my "enough" to placate my conscience.  I knew acutely that the answer to all of the above questions was, "no it is not enough". My "enough" damned me and I knew it.  My "enough" kept me suspicious and despairing of God's mercy and love for me in Christ. My "enough" kept me from safety. 

Jesus is Enough - Why I love this word

My "enough" damned me, but Jesus saved me.  I did not understand that everything I lacked before the Judge, Christ Jesus fulfilled before the Father in my place.  Yesterday I was listening to a song called "Christ Completes what He's Begun"  The lyrics toward the end of the song were: 

"Consider Christ the Servant as He stoops to wash our feet. 

Consider Christ the Triumph who knows not one defeat. 

Consider Christ our Comfort who brings healing in our pain 

Consider Christ the King who is staged to come again

Consider Christ our Shepherd leading on His precious flock

Consider Christ our Friend who comes along our side to walk 

Consider Christ the Lion as He reigns majestically 

Consider Christ the Lamb as He suffered Calvary 

Consider Christ our Victor with all His battles won

Consider Christ our Sovereign for He completes the work begun" 

The lyrics tell us to consider Christ and all that He is for us. Reading them made me realize that all of my "enough" questioning was christ-less. Anytime I look to myself I see my sin. Looking to Christ, I see that He is all of the above for me, and my heart is filled with joy.  Christ is enough! Christ is our Servant who gave His life for us and continues to serve us through Word and Sacrament. Christ is our Triumph who has defeated sin and death by His death and resurrection. Christ is our comfort and consolation in knowing that our sins are forgiven and we are not under the curse and wrath of God. Christ is our King who reigns faithfully and subdues His enemies - even the enemies of our sanctification. Christ is our Shepherd who does not abandon us but leads us faithfully. Christ is our Friend who sympathizes with our weaknesses and frailty. Christ is our Lion who defends, preserves, and brings us safely home. Christ is our Lamb who is the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Christ is our Victor who promises us victory in the age to come. Christ is our Sovereign who never leaves or forsakes us, and delivers us from the tyranny of sin. 

My life is not defined by my "enough". My life is defined by His sufficiency.

Do I read the Bible enough? No. However, Christ Jesus the Living Word, speaks the words of forgiveness to you concerning your deliverance. He is enough. 

Do I pray enough? No. However, Christ prayed to His Father without ceasing. "In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up  prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tear, to him who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his reverence" (Hebrews 5:7). His reverence and obedience is credited to you as righteousness. You can boldly approach before your Father to ask for help in time of need in the mediation of Christ. Christ prays for you. Christ is enough. 

Do I serve my neighbor enough? No. However, Christ served His neighbor for you and in your place. He offered His life for you and serves you. He is enough. 

Do I surrender enough? No. However, Christ surrendered all in your place. His surrender for you is enough. 

Am I passionate for Christ enough? Absolutely not. However, Christ's passion in doing the Father's will to save you from your sins, is enough. 

Does my life adequately display enough sanctification for me to be qualified to take comfort in the Gospel? Nope. However, Christ is your sanctification. Your sanctification level is not what qualifies you to take comfort in the Gospel. "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick" (Matthew 9:12). You are sick. Therefore, you are qualified to seek consolation from Christ. Your sanctification is not the gate to Christ's promises. Christ is the gate. 

Do I even believe the Gospel enough? Wrong question. Your faith is not meritorious, but is an instrument by which you apprehend Christ. It is given to you from outside of you by the Holy Spirt. Your faith can still be riddled with doubt and fears. Yet a small faith riddled with doubt and fears receives the Strong Christ who upholds you in His strength. He gives you His words of forgiveness through the preached Word. He shows you that the Gospel applies to you through your Baptism and feeds you in the Lord's Supper. He is enough. 

I love and hate this word. My self-righteousness and pride hates that I am not enough, but I take comfort in knowing Jesus is enough for me. I can sink into this truth and enjoy it. 

Beloved, Christ is enough for you too. You can sink into it and enjoy it too. You can live and die in the joy and comfort of knowing that your life is held by Christ. 

"Enough for me that Jesus saves. This ends my fear and doubt. A sinful soul I come to Him. He'll never cast me out. I need no other argument. I need no other plea. It is enough that Jesus died, and that He died for me."  - My Faith Has Found A Resting Place