Let That Be Enough

“And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:4 ESV)

Though the brother of Jesus, James, opens his letter with some of the most recognizable verses that are quoted and preached by all who experience seasons of trials, I am going to write about two words that James speaks to you and I in this passage; “And let…” Allow that to breathe in your heart for a moment. And let: release control, surrender, submit to a process, loosen your grip. I know a man whom had tragically lost someone deeply close to him. He experienced deep sorrow, walking through immensely difficult conversations and experiencing emotions that had never crossed his path before. Things were being stripped away from him that he thought would never leave his side, material things were fleeing from him quicker then he could grab a hold of them to stay, future memories that he had invested in were shattered and he knows now will never come to fruition. The one whom this man had lost, we’ll call him Kenny, once revealed a secret to him while they were on a trip together traveling across Europe. Kenny and his wife had been married for several years now, and they had plans together to begin trying for their first child. While Kenny and this man were waiting in line to tour one of the many castles that they got to explore together, Kenny turned to his wife with excitement and said “Oh! Babe can I tell him?” Knowing what he was referring to, she laughed and said “Go ahead,” Kenny then turned to this man and said “When we have our first child and if it is a boy we want his middle name to be named after you.” Filled with excitement between both of them, they celebrated together while waiting in that line as if the child had already arrived. A childlike joy shared between the two for a future moment that was sure to come soon. As this memory played over and over in this mans mind, in his deep sorrow over the loss of Kenny, he also saw the loss of this future memory that will never come to pass.

And let…

“As one whom his mother comforts, so will I comfort you. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass, and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants, and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.” (Isaiah 66:13-14 ESV)

What do you do when your life does not turn out how you thought it would be. You experienced things you wish you never had, people betrayed you that you thought never would, someone let you down that you trusted, unforeseen circumstances are preventing you from stepping into what has been a dream for you. You and I both recall something as these questions float around our heart. My antidote to these scars that have been inflicted to you and I is simple; let that be enough. As this man wept over this future memory that will never be breathed to life, he held on tighter to this memory. What once was just a memory that seemed insignificant to what was to come, was now a precious moment that lived in his heart. And when he entered his secret place, weeping at the feet of the Lord; he brought this memory to the Lord. In his grief he was met with comfort, saying to himself “I will never get to be with my friend and hold that child with him, but I will hold on to this moment that we shared together when he revealed this secret to me, and I will let that be enough. So Lord thank you that you allowed Kenny and I to share that moment.” Whatever it is that you are holding on to, that you can not let go of, or something that you hoping that will come to pass, recognize what it is that the Lord has allowed you to have right now; and let that be enough. Sometimes it is not enough. You may look at your bank account and the Lord seems to only give you enough to cover everything down to the penny. It can feel as though it is not enough, a God who can far do more then you can imagine, but He can only barely cover your bills. What if we look at every bill that has been covered and say “let that be enough.” Lord if you do not provide a single more dollar for me this month I will let this be enough. I will have gratitude, I will approach you with thanksgiving, and I will worship you for what you have given me. If you have a vision of having a massive ministry and impacting thousands of souls, but your bible study seems to never grow past the capacity it is at right now. Can you enter the secret place and bring this vision to the Lord, but then say “Lord, thank you for what I have right now, and I will let that be enough.” You and I live in a culture that is entitled to things that we do not own. We are ambitious beyond our ability. We create visions that are beyond rational, because we have been raised in a culture that has instilled a belief system that says that it is virtuous to live by that principle. “At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, ‘Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” And calling to Him a child He said “Truly, truly, I say to you unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” (Matthew 18:1-4 ESV) Even in our suffering, you and I must humble ourselves before the Lord. The grace that the Lord shows in this action is that when we humble ourselves, it is the process of entering his presence as a child. We enter the secret place at the Father’s feet, as children we come to Him with our hurts, with our traumas, our disappointments we believed were full proof. It is in that place where letting that be enough can truly work itself into your heart. Where you surrender to a process, release your grip over something that has been anchored to your heart so that something you were once blind to becomes more then enough. You recognize it again. You rejoice in it again. As you begin to do this, something begins to happen in your heart. When maturity takes place, and has its way with you. You begin to stop looking at the tangible things you have and say “let that be enough,” rather now you get a glimpse of the cross. You see Jesus in His glory. You see the high priest over the house of God, and understand that He has cloaked you in righteousness, and you let that be enough for everything that is in your life. You don’t have the wife that you want, the Lord is allowing you to remain in a season of singleness, but then you get a glimpse of the cross and say “Lord, I will let that be enough!” You don’t have the business that is blowing up, but you remind your flesh that you have been cloaked in righteousness and cry out “Lord, I will let that be enough!” Remember, sometimes it isn’t enough. This man had moments where this wasn’t enough. Moments where he would have done anything to have his friend Kenny back. That is why you and I have to rest in what James instructs us to do in the beginning of his letter; “And let.” Sometimes you have to let it be enough, because He is faithful. “May my accusers be put to shame and consumed; with scorn and disgrace may they be covered who seek my hurt. But I will hope continually and I will praise you yet more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their numbers is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.” (Psalm 71:13-16 ESV) The psalmist shows us that even while the arrows are coming towards us, we are walking through a season of persecution, and we feel the weightiness of the warfare surrounding our mind, we have to remind ourselves that the victory is in the Lord’s hands. So we will fix our gaze upon the one who keeps us. I do not have the career that I want, but I will hope continually and praise you more and more and I will let the job that I do have be enough in this season. I don’t need a new car to rejoice in Jesus, I don’t need a new house to rejoice in the Lord, I don’t need a massive ministry to be excited about what the Lord has done. I get a vision of the cross, and of my salvation, and I say let that be enough. In seasons when it is difficult, and in seasons that it is easy. Don’t let your salvation be enough under the right circumstances. Let that be enough.