You are More Than Enough!

I recently read a devotional by Holly Gerth that resonated with me. It was about the fierce-hearted Woman. Gerth asked the question, "Do you ever get tired of life's battles?" Does it seem as if one trial comes right after another, offering you little or seemingly no time to rest? Are there times when you simply feel overwhelmed by the enormity of life? I know there have been occasions when I wrestled with trepidation and insecurity, wondering if I had enough of what it takes to make it through? And, it was during those difficult times that I felt alone. I know other people have experienced or are experiencing what I went through. Do you believe that? It is true, everyone will have varying degrees of doubt at some point in their life? But thank God for Jesus. I can honestly say that I know what it feels like now to be confident in Him, strong and loved.

1) By STRONG, I am not talking about just having the appearance of strength. You know, the flexing of your muscles to display power, or hiding your real emotions to appear tough. Neither am I not talking about the fake it until you make it attitude. When I think of being strong, it is an awareness of your strengths, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities; it is mental maturity. In my opinion, knowing who God says you are and having a heightened level of self-awareness is an essential component of real strength. There many factors and challenges that influence our daily walk. How we react to these challenges may negatively impact us and manifest in our health, relationships, finances, or from a plethora of other sources. Yet, in spite of that, believers can take comfort in knowing that God is More Than Enough. God has equipped us to go through our trials. He has uniquely and fearfully created you and me for GREATness. Your GREATness (gifting) is not to be in comparison to others. You are to embrace and use whatever He has given you to the best of your ability. That is all that is required. You are His masterpiece to be cared for and to be valued. So, never devalue yourself. Be strong in the Lord. (Ephesians 6:10)

2) Being BRAVE does not mean being reckless and possessing fearless abandon. Nor does it appear as unrelenting aggression towards others. It is being able to square up your shoulders in the face of adversity and have the courage to face your challenges with confidence, knowing that with God, you can be victorious. It is doing what needs to be even when afraid. Having faith in the words of Romans 8:28 will ignite your confidence and boost your resolve to continue towards your goals. Yes, when you believe in your heart that All things can and will work out for your good, you will have hope for a brighter future.

3) Being loved and showing love is a true testimony of Christ in your life. When you have experienced and accepted God's authentic love, you can give love to others freely. Moreover, you can readily identify the imitation of love that the enemy has disguised to trick you. You will no longer believe that love hurts, demeans, or holds you in bondage. You will know that true love offers freedom and forgiveness and that it is patience and kind. God wants that kind of love for you and has made provision for us. Some people find it hard to love who they are. They may dislike how they walk, talk, look and some may even despise their families. These are the people who have not learned to embrace who you are, imperfections and all. These are the people who cannot love themselves generously. Think about it, when we complain or devalue who they are, we are, in essence, saying, "God, you failed me, you short-changed me." In other words, we are saying; what God has created is not enough. Believe me when I tell you that you are indeed MORE THAN ENOUGH. God makes no mistakes. When others are telling you differently, know that God already approves you as "More Than Enough." No further validation required. The enemy plans to confuse you and distort God's truth with lies. Why? Because that is his job, and he is persistent. He astutely camouflages what we see and floods our minds with untruths. Facts: you are more than a conqueror, and your circumstances do not define you or limit you.

God loves you, and you are never alone. Your perspective determines how you view your situation, and affects how we feel. Do you see a struggle is something to defeat you, or is it a challenge to overcome. May I encourage you not to be frustrated by the difficulties you may face. Seek God for direction in all things and choose to fight for what God has promised. Whatever you're going through, my prayer for you today is that Jesus allows you to feel strength, bravery, and love. May you have the discernment to know when the enemy is presenting you with lies. Renew your heart and have hope for a good future. The enemy does not want you to tap into the power God has given you. Start declaring God's WORD for your life. A strong, brave woman who loves others can change the world, one person at a time. Be confident in what God, and understand that there is greatness in you. Because God resides in you, know that you are stronger and braver than you think. Ladies, I challenge each of you to start carrying yourselves like the beloved, strong daughters of a mighty King. That is who you are. Then, reach out to help another sister, who has yet to find her way. Make a difference! Remember: God is our strength and the source of our identity. He says that we are "...fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:14) And, because we are the apple of the Almighty's eye and His beloved, He will guide us daily because he has good plans for us. (Jerimiah 20:11) Amen.