Often we are admonished with uplifting mantra touting:
You are enough.
Follow your heart
Be you!
Even Dr. Suess agrees; his famous line sums it up: “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
These affirming statements empower us to go out and be individuals; to take the world by the horns and discover our true selves. There are thousands of self-help books sold every day with these very phrases as tag lines to pull readers in. We all want to know who we truly are; to discover our inner selves.
Today I want to challenge the status quo.
Contrasted with the world’s view, He says:
“My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17
From start to finish, the Bible tells of man’s incurable bent toward sin. Anytime we look within ourselves or do what “makes us happy” we end up further from God.
I spent so many years pursing “me” and trying to achieve the illusion that I was enough. I was strong enough to do things on my own. I was capable enough to make my own way. I knew my dreams and would stop at nothing to get there. But somehow, in the relentless search for self, I ended up lost.
Finding myself led me in and out of empty relationships; in an abortion clinic giving up the life of my first child; divorced and bitter. I was in a million tiny pieces exhausted with trying to put my puzzle back together. In search for myself, I actually lost my true self.
When we are too busy chasing ourselves, we ultimately stop chasing after a relationship with Jesus.
We are all desperately in need of Jesus.
But this is the good news. It isn’t up to us to be enough. We don’t have to be enough because He is.
Friends, we do not need to improve ourselves with catchy phrases that feel good, or one more motivational self-help guru. Making life palatable is not our goal…being made new is! Jesus came to make us new. We are new creations in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17). Not slightly better or moderately good- we are brand new!
We are pleasing and perfect to Him when we come to him acknowledging our need for Him. On our own, no good thing lives deep inside of us, that’s why we need Jesus. If we are enough on our own, then His sacrifice was for nothing.
You don’t have to be enough—He is.
Follow Jesus, not your heart.
Be who you are in Christ Jesus—made new through Him.
Father, Thank you for creating us with a hole that only you can fill with Jesus. You are the author of our lives and know what exactly what we need; more than any earthly writers, speakers, or influencers can offer. Thank you giving us Jesus whose perfect sacrifice was once and for all. Thank you for making Jesus enough so our striving could be over. Father, we ask for renewed hearts and minds toward you and wait expectantly, believing you will do great things through our brokenness that would bring YOU glory. You are faithful and good, and we love you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Today’s post was written by Ashley Gregory, who is a contributor to the Deeper Still Devotional Blog. Ashley lives in Mt. Sterling, Illinois and is married to Mark. They have 3 children and she serves on the Central Illinois Deeper Still team.
Deeper Still is a ministry that offers free weekend retreats for women who have had abortions and the men who fathered children lost to abortion. If you have had an abortion and would like more information about our retreats, please go to www.GoDeeperStill.org to find a retreat close to you.