More Than Enough

A few years ago I reached a financial breaking point. Though I was owed thousands of dollars by clients, they had fallen behind on their accounts, and now I was falling behind on mine. Though I cut back on every expense I could think of, I still didn’t have enough money to pay my bills, including the electric bill. Worse, I needed to make a tax payment to the government that couldn’t be delayed.

As the deadline for the taxes approached, I felt fear and anxiety grip my soul. I began to pray, asking God to provide. For more than sixty days, I walked to the mailbox hoping and praying that a check from a client would arrive. For more than sixty days, I went home empty-handed. Two days before the deadline, I just couldn’t take it anymore. I was exhausted. I was frustrated. I was broken on the outside and broken on the inside. I cried out to God in prayer, and all I heard was silence.

I was ready to give up, but something kept me going. On that final day of the deadline, I followed the well-worn path to the mailbox only to discover a check—one that more than covered all my expenses, bills and needs—waiting for me. Our generous God had provided.

Through that experience I discovered God as my provider in a way that I had never known Him before. Though my fear of lack was great, His provision was greater. My need did not escape His notice.

All of us will face a fear of lack sometime in our life—whether it’s a lack of money, lack of relationships, lack of health or lack of basic supplies. No matter how much or how little you make each year, odds are that in some area of life, you’ll doubt and ask, “Will there be enough?”

The truth is that no matter what we may be facing, our God is more than enough. When fear of lack tries to grip our heart, God invites us to grow in our faith and knowledge of Him. By turning to Him in prayer and His Word, we discover the power of His provision in our lives.

Throughout the Bible God is compared to a shepherd—one who provides and protects. In Psalm 23, we discover just how active God is in our lives. The psalm opens with The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want and goes on to display the many ways God provides for us, including guidance, leadership, restoration, protection, comfort, blessing and assurance. God is active and engaged in every situation and every life. In fact, He always has been.

Like a faithful shepherd, God is always with us. He doesn’t just go with us, He goes before us into every situation and relationship in life. He is constantly present, speaking life and hope and wisdom to us as we listen to His voice. He is not only our Guide, He is our Provider. And when we can go no further, He carries us like a good shepherd.

Have you ever considered just how active God is in our lives? Consider for a moment some of the verbs that describe His character found in Scripture:

God answers, bestows, blesses, blots, calls, cares, cleanses, clothes, comforts, corrects, counsels, covers, delights, delivers, disciplines, encourages, fills, forgives, gathers, gives, guards, guides, heals, hears, helps, holds, increases, keeps, knows, leads, lifts, listens, loves, opens, pours, preserves, protects, provides, purifies, rejoices, remembers, rescues, restores, rewards, satisfies, saves, speaks, strengthens, sustains, teaches, upholds, watches, and works.

No matter what fear or doubt you may be facing—no matter what lack—you can be assured that you have not escaped His notice. He is actively engaged and working on your behalf. God has not just gone with you into this situation—He has gone before you. And He will provide and protect. So do not fear! Choose faith over fear instead.

[Article by Margaret Feinberg]