You are enough. Do you believe this? Do you know this? Life is designed such that we can’t help but compare ourselves to each other. We look around the world and say within, “if only I could have more money, I would be able to do such and such.” “If only I wasn’t sick,” “If only I had a husband, I would be happy.” “If only I had a wife, my life would be complete.” and so many other ‘if onlys.’ We are filled with this vacant part of us, and we subconsciously and unknowingly search for answers to fill that void. Sometimes we knowingly look for this thing that’s missing, only to be left with more questions than answers. I’ll be honest with you; I went through this a few times and would wonder what it meant. Sometimes I would wake up and feel empty, lonely, and very strange inside. I would say, “what is that? And where is it coming from?” At this point in my life, I was complete, happy, and everything was okay. I would wonder if maybe I was suppressing some emotion deep within that needed to be addressed?
My discovery
Later on, I realized that I needed to connect myself to God and have Him fill me. I discovered this because one day, I had that same feeling of emptiness. I read a verse in the Bible, and it disappeared. Perhaps you’re at this same phase in your life and are looking to fill a certain void in you. Let’s address this today because I came across a scripture that could possibly help you.
Before we dive into the verse in question, let me share this one 
4Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. [John 15:4-6]
If you need strength, you need to abide. If you need hope, you need to abide. If you need your purpose and vision to be clear, you need to abide. If you need the emptiness and loneliness to disappear, you need to abide. If you need to make it in whatever you’re pursuing, you need to abide. ABIDING is the key, and as the word says: without this, you can do nothing. In fact, many people wake up with this void, depression and gloominess over them and cannot understand why or where it came from. Now you know why – one reason could be that you are not abiding.
ABIDE: to live or stay somewhere
To abide in simple terms means to live or stay somewhere, but in this case, it’s not just anywhere. It’s in the Lord, with the Lord. Read the verse again with this in mind- it says abide in me and I in you. Camp in the heart of the Lord so you are not walking on EMPTY. It’s about having a relationship. You have to take that first step, hence it being ‘abide in me’ first. What follows then is ‘and I in you.’ You have to fill yourself up with His word. With those I mentor, I tell them daily, never start your day without reading a verse or praying – this is dangerous. Get from Him your lot for the day, because without abiding in Him, you can do nothing, absolutely nothing. Fill up that void and emptiness with His word. Your relationship can’t fill it. Alcohol and drugs can’t fill it. Friends can’t fill it. Your status and money can’t fill it. Your social media followers can never fill it as well.
The verse says that a branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine. The sap flows from the vine to branch and tendril and leaf and fruit. He is the living water that never runs dry. Let Him fill you. Stop running and call unto Him, He will answer you. You can take all the supplements that you want and drink all the energy drinks that you want, but if you want a permanent source of energy, motivation and diligence, get to the real source, the Lord.
And now to the main scripture that inspired this message
4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. [1 Corinthians 1:4-7]
I read this today, and I loved it. Let’s dissect it in parts. You’ll have to follow this series because we’ll expand on it more on the next article. It says that you were enriched in EVERYTHING by Him. It says everything and not some things. Perhaps you need to locate the area in you that has been enriched by Him instead of looking at what you don’t have.
The meaning of everything: all that exists; all that relates to the subject; all that is important
You are obviously the subject, and you have been enriched in ALL that exists. We are dealing with a God who is intelligent and carries the Spirit of excellence. What this means is that you have been filled with all that’s important. The chaff has been sieved out and all the bad parts are not included with your recipe. What you now have are all the important parts needed for you to thrive. So you see? there’s no part of you that’s lacking or wanting. If you don’t know who you are, then the world will tell you who you’re not. With all this that we’ve covered, do you now see why when I read the word the day I felt empty, then that feeling disappeared? Makes sense now, right? He filled me because I ABIDED in Him.
I wonder where all this started from? Take a journey with me as we explore this topic. We shall circle back to the scripture above.
Where did this come from?
I am taken to Adam and Eve and how God gave them specific instructions to not touch this one tree in the garden.
15Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” [Genesis 2:15-17]
This instruction was explicit, but I wonder why they couldn’t keep it. Adam and Eve focused on the ‘lack’ instead of the ‘plenty’ that they had. Imagine the vast trees at their disposal that they could eat from. They couldn’t practice restraint, and there was an apparent lack of self-control here as well. Why do we admire that which we don’t have? Why can’t we be content with what with have? With our lot in life?
11Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have laearned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things, I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. [Philippians 4:11-13]
Am I missing something?
We all have our portions in life. Nothing in you is off or lacking. Just because the person next to you is doing well doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doing bad. Never judge your 1st chapter with someone else’s 25th chapter. God has a purpose and will for all of us, and YOU ARE ENOUGH just the way you are. No part of you is lacking and inadequate. Your body is enough. Your skin color is enough. Your financial status is enough; Learn to live within your means. Your beauty is enough. Your heart is enough. Please believe when I say you are enough. Could you exercise and be more fit so that you can lead a healthier life? We all can, and we all should. This is not something limited to a specific group of people.
Remember Moses was self-conscious about how he spoke, and because of this, he didn’t think he could do what God was asking him to do. Over and over God instructed him to go speak to Pharaoh, and even told him what to say. Moses would argue that he spoke too slowly and would not be able. He didn’t think he was qualified. God got upset.
11So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? 12Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” [Exodus 4:11]
Is something wrong with me?
I wonder who Moses was comparing himself to. For him to think he was of slow speech must have meant he saw others of fast speech. He thought others were better leaders than him because they looked more confident as they spoke. Do you see how you should never look at what others have?
You need to NOT look without (outside) to find out who you are. The world will lie to you. You look within because, once again, you are enough. Also, you need to understand that the mirror will never tell you how beautiful you are. The world will lie to you. You look within because, once again, you are enough. Also, you need to understand that the mirror will never tell you how beautiful you are; the Bible will. The mirror also looks on the outside, not within. Anything that points to the outside as a reference point used in describing you should never be considered. We judge ourselves by what God says. He made you the way you are purposely, and He gave you what you have intentionally. Be content. Use what you have to elevate yourself instead of comparing yourself to others. Now let’s go back to the scripture we began with.
Let’s dissect this some more
1 Corinthians 1:4-7
4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, 5 that you were ENRICHED in EVERYTHING by Him in all UTTERANCE and all KNOWLEDGE, 6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I have highlighted the words that I would like us to explore further (above) to gain a better understanding of why you are enough. Click on the next article as we explore who you are according to what God says and not what people nor the world says. If you don’t see it, please check in tomorrow for the follow-up. Please subscribe to our newsletter so I can alert you when I post it.
