When is enough enough?
The Bible leads off with a demonstration of one of the most powerful weapons satan has. Deprivation. Adam and Eve had it all and yet satan was able to convince them they needed more.
Satan tempts us to believe we need more than what we have. He assures us God has not provided and will not provide.
Much of our lives are spent wanting more. We are taught from an early age to keep getting more … more toys, more education, more skills … more recognition, more approval … more love.
We are taught to compete against each other. We feel deprived when we don’t win.
We look at what others have and if we don’t have it, we feel deprived. Satan is quick to change longing into envy.
We are hungry. Satan quickly steps in and offers a tray of what looks like delicious choices. He whispers, “These are just appetizers. Wait til you get to the main course. And the desert … it’s heavenly!”
Many of us already discovered eating at satan’s “fine dining” was not fine at all. We ended up broke and sick with our lives a mess, and we still wanted something we thought we did not have.
In actuality, we have exactly what we need. God our Creator lives inside us and He is The Source of everything in the universe.
Psalm 23:1 has various translations. I really like these two.
The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
Good News Translation
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
King James Version
When we realize we have everything we need in God, then we can make a choice not to want more. I shall not want.
If we are supposed to just know we already have everything in God, is it wrong to want more?
Feeling a need is not wrong, but what we do with the feeling makes all the difference.
Before you try to satisfy that hunger on your own, talk to God. Thank Him that He gives you everything you need. Ask Him to show you what you need to do.
Paul said it well when he said,
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And The Peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7
Peace to you. The Lord is your Shepherd. He will give you everything you need!
(Thank you to Lynn Moser, who posted her thought for today at the very time I was writing my blog post. Picture credit to her!)
