Part 1 of this blog I mentioned how there are right answers to questions, yet sometimes a separation with how we feel or comply with those answers. I know and believe that God is enough. But does all of me like my emotions, intellect and will know? If so, how is that belief system challenged to grow through seasons that are more trying than others?

I want to start today’s blog by emphasizing God’s original intent before going anywhere else. I keep owner’s manuals for things I may never need, solely because if I do have a question about a product, I can go to directly to the source that made it to find instruction. This is the same principle of why God gave us His word. Let me put to rest any confusion out there while I’m writing this; the whole entire Word of God is either true, or the entire thing is all false. I won’t preach a mini sermon on this as it’s off topic, but I believe in the Word of God as the absolute truth. Moving on with that in mind, God who was the only God, created man in the image of the Trinity (just a word for God, His Son Jesus and the Holy Spirit). They then created a female because God said it wasn’t good for man to be alone. There were plants and all living creatures that existed in the beginning. Later on when God gave His commandments to Moses in Exodus chapter 20, the 1st Commandment is, “You shall have no other gods above me.” When Jesus was on the Earth and asked what the greatest commandment was, He replied with, “Love the Lord, your God will all of your heart, with all of your soul and your mind”-Matthew 22:37. A shortly stated theological summary, God is enough. In Him and through Him, we can find all things.

In asking myself the question, “Is God enough?”, I’m not merely asking on a theological plane, but in a way that demands the desires in my heart to be examined with the truth of His word. I don’t merely want to know that He is enough, I want to experience it every day in every aspect of my life. The only way to do that is to know His word. When you know what the word says then you can begin to answer questions and motives in your heart. Is He enough when you are rejected? despised? afflicted? cheated? lied about? broken hearted? How can He fulfill your life when there’s financial debt, illness, desire for a spouse or baby, or a new home, or (fill in the blank)?

Since all things are found in God, I know that if I am serving anything with as much or more passion than I serve God, it’s a God-substitute. If I make anything or anyone else including my incredible husband my sole focus, it’s an idol and I am thrown off balance. When I find myself comparing my life to others, desiring opportunities, or relationships outside of God’s leading, I have to pause, and hit reset and go to God’s word. If I am solely trying to keep up with what someone else has or I am focused on what I don’t have, I am exhausting energy that I do have on things other than God.

So what are things that we use as idols? What are areas in your life that take up your energy in an unhealthy unbalanced way? No, I’m not referring to that project at work or the teething two year old ;) God is not an excuse card to get out of living life. Rather, He’s the empowerment for us to live fullness of life in Him and bring His love to the world. God is passionate about the world, not worldliness. He has freely given us His Spirit that we might be filled and fulfilled in Him not look to the world.

In conclusion for today, I’d like to address the thoughts that others have for your life. Sometimes, especially as a young adult there can be a lot of and very overwhelming voices that want to give you God’s perfect (ahem) their perfect plans for your life. There will be those who see your spiritual gifts and want to utilize them for their own gain often in times where our spiritual maturity can’t handle it. There will even be those who strive and contend with you out of the brokenness and envy of their own hearts. Some will suggest the PERFECT spouse for you…again an idea on how their plan for your life should go.

I want to encourage you that while we absolutely need wise and godly counsel in our lives, this should never trump the leadership of the Lord. He is the one who created you and fashioned every detail of your life for you to experience Him in. This scripture is quoted a lot, but Jeremiah 29:11 says “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God has great thoughts and plans for you. Ones that involve the absolute best, even when things are trying. I think about both Stephen and I and the many relationships that were suggested to us. It wasn’t until his best friend who had never suggested a girl to him suggested me (after a semi embarrassing bawling episode on my behalf as he preached) that Stephen found his wife. Yes, someone else was used by God to make His plan known, but we always have to test things against what God said. We’re both so grateful that we sough the Lord, even through our dating to hear what He was saying over us. God is enough and His plans for us supersede everything we or anyone else would think or imagine over our lives.

The questions I want to leave you with today are 1. What other gods are you serving in your mind, thoughts, actions or attitudes? 2. What does the truth of God’s word say about the desires you feel are unfulfilled? When you find His will, you find His peace.