“I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying, ‘O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours? Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.’ But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the Lord said to me, ‘Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again. Go up to the top of Pisgah and lift up your eyes westward and northward and southward and eastward, and look at it with your eyes, for you shall not go over this Jordan.” Deuteronomy 3:23-27
“To keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me... Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-11
Moses had been called by God to lead Israel out of Egypt to a good land flowing with milk and honey, and after forty long years he longed to enter that land. His desire to take part in the culmination of God’s promise was certainly natural and appropriate. He pleaded, yet the Lord had said, and now repeated, no. Enough from you. (Exodus 3:7-8,17; Numbers 20:6-12)
Paul had been called out of rebellion and violent antagonism toward Christians to belief and powerful ministry. The Lord foretold he would suffer much for His name’s sake. When he begged to be relieved of his physical ailment, the Lord said no. Three times requesting is enough, because I am enough. (Acts 9:1-16)
When we find that our personal longings, however good and right they seem, are not fulfilled, we learn that our Lord stays our requests with ‘enough’ to teach us He is enough. We may want more, and different, but our Sovereign reminds us His grace is sufficient and His plans are good (and better than ours), and ultimately they lead to more of His glory. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
In what areas of our lives do we plead for relief, or favor, or something other than what is, and the Lord says, ‘Enough’? ‘No need to keep asking, look to Me. Adjust your end goal, reconsider your charms, and think differently. I am your sufficiency. My ways are purposeful, and right for you. Trust Me.’ Are we willing to reset our pursuit from tangible to intangible, from temporal to eternal? When will we say, “enough!” to impatience, covetousness, and discontent, and reckon Christ’s ‘enough’ to cover and cleanse them, and change us? Will we choose to be content with circumstances because we’re content in Christ?
Lord Jesus, help me accept Your ‘enoughs’ by trusting Your unmeasured sufficiency for my every desire, weakness, and wayward penchant. May I ever rejoice in You.
As the rain and snow 