You are Enough

You are enough

I witnessed something extraordinary last week. The only thing is, I could’ve easily walked by it. Thank God, the Lord alerted me and had me pay attention.

Even though this occurred last week, the prayer that I had asked for this lesson was nine years ago.

These two stories that are linked through time both demonstrate a woman who chose Christ’s plan and not their own despite their unmet needs and hurts.

God has graced me with an exceptional woman of faith as my mentor. My dear friend experienced a heartbreaking divorce where her husband chose another woman over her and her children. She chose her faith and forgiveness. He walked away from his faith.

Her example of how to live out faith is mind-boggling to me. At the time of her telling me the story. (9 years ago) I prayed the Lord would reveal to me how she had become such a tremendous example. How in the world did she let go of her own pain to be a champion for her children, to exhibit God’s grace and forgiveness? You see, it was so overwhelming for me to think of who I was while trying to reach the depth of her faith from where I was. I thought if I could only see the beginning of her faith journey, then maybe I could do that. Start where she started.

Just to give a brief understanding of the profound forgiveness she gave and the depths of God’s grace in it, I’ll give a synopsis of her story. Her husband chose infidelity with another woman within blocks of their home. Shortly after he moved out, my friend and her teenage son were driving. And they saw her ex-husband and the other woman. Her child asked, “Is that the reason for the divorce?” She graciously replied, “You’re going to have to ask your dad.” Never did she pull down her husband in front of her children. When I asked why, she said. “They are 50% him so I can’t risk their emotional well-being by making them think there is something wrong with him. They might think that wrongness was also inside them.” See, my friend was a social worker. She saw the devastation of children torn apart by ugly divorces. 

I don’t know what her healing and Christian walk looked like in the presence of her close friends. What their conversations were at the time or how they helped her through it. I knew only the triumphant woman who was my mentor at the end of the trial.

Now to go back to the story from last week. Praise God, He highlighted the simple situation so that I might see it and understand that it was the answer to my prayer. 

A person quickly becoming my friend, who had also experienced a divorce, was at a school event with her ex-husband and all the children. She took a moment out of the busy and chaotic event to draw attention to something her ex had missed. She chose grace and forgiveness to show him something that a teacher had given her for her daughter so that he might ask for that item so that his daughter could have what she needed in both households. It was the exchange of a single paper.

And the Maker of the universe took notice. He pointed her out to me and spoke in my heart. “Look at My daughter. Look at what she is choosing. Grace over her own desires.” It was then that I understood this was the answer to my prayer from so many years ago.

In the tiny simplest moments of grace, in the choosing to help the person who causes the most pain—this is where the power of God’s love is seen. This choosing grace instead of anger is so profoundly precious to the Lord. 

You are enough

You may think that you don’t have a ministry or that your life is too little. But let me assure you, there are those watching you. They see your gestures of grace, your moments of forgiveness, and it inspires them to follow Christ's example of forgiveness.

I can do one act of grace. You can do one act of grace. God doesn’t want us to look at the pillars of our faith He has given us in our lives and say I can’t do that. Because we can.

You are enough with Christ.

I assure you they got there with tiny moments of grace over and over again even when they were tired. Even when all their emotions and fleshly desires wanted to do the exact opposite. They chose those tiny acts of obedience to God.

You can act with grace. 

Give yourself a moment of acknowledgment where you have acted with grace. Where you have given when you didn’t want to.

In the next moment, let the Lord show you a place that you can exhibit future grace, a place that He can allow His mercy and forgiveness to flow from. Decide now to choose grace so that when you face what seems like an impossible person in your life, you can tell yourself I’ve already chosen to walk in forgiveness. I’ve said yes to God no matter how hard that gets. So, here’s my next assignment — to display His goodness, and I will complete the mission.

Under submission to Him you are enough.

Be encouraged that you have a ministry. Your life walked in faith speaks volumes to those around you. Those you don’t even know are watching. They are. Right now, someone is saying if she can do it, and if he can do it, then so can I.

^"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil. 4:13, NKJV)

This often quoted verse isn't talking about "doing" our life goals or aspirations. It speaks about us being able to share in Christ's suffering to endure through difficult things to show God's goodness to others.

Prayer for you and me: Lord, thank you for the mentors and faith you have given me, and I ask for more. Let me see the next right step for me. Let your life shine through mine. I desire to choose your way. Help me choose your way even when I’d rather run. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Please help me decide. Do I tell this woman in my life about how she profoundly affected me? Do I have that awkward conversation? What do you think?

Please comment below.