"I have enough."
This was what Pastor Grant had us speak out loud in church last Sunday. Go ahead...say it. And then say it again, but this time, say it like you mean it. Do you believe it? Because truth be told, most of us do not live lives that reflect this truth. We run ourselves ragged, trying to do more, get more, know more, BE more. Our go-to answer, when asked the question "How are you?" has gone from "good" to "busy." We have let our level of busyness begin to define us.
What if we were to pause...take a break...actually rest? What if we were to take regular rhythms to sit before God and remember who we really are?
As soon as I said the words "I have enough" last Sunday, the words of Psalm 23 came to mind. Many people are familiar with this Psalm because it is often read at funerals. The words "the valley of death" are in this Psalm...but I believe this scripture is meant to be a guide to the living. The opening verse says: "The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need." (NLT) Such a short little verse, but so much wisdom and truth is held within it! When we remember these words, it is a remembering of who we are and whose we are. When we say that God is our shepherd, we are remembering that he is our provider and protector. When we say that He is our shepherd, it means we are His (sheep, children). We are cared for, loved, pursued. Because of who He is and who we are, we always have all that we need. In The Passion Translation, the words "I always have more than enough," are used. The NIV says "I lack nothing."
I believe one of the biggest problems in our lives today is that we are constantly bombarded with the idea that we are lacking something. Most of these messages come through advertising, social media and the news. It would be good for us to pause and reflect on what we start our day with...is it time in God's Word? Or do we tend to start our day by going to our email, favorite news source or social media feed?
If you don't already have a regular practice of starting your day off with God (or maybe even if you do), I challenge you to just take the first minute of each day over the next week to speak the truth of Psalm 23:1 over yourself and your life. See if something shifts as you remember who and whose you are.
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