Sweat poured from my forehead as I shooed away mosquitoes. Through the sticky humidity, a friend, native to this island in the Philippines, and I pressed on through the dusty dirt country roads on Mindanao.
But what was also warm yet sweet was the hug and peck on the cheek as I embraced a small, frail woman who greeted us outside her nipa hut. “Welcome, beautiful visitor,” she said.
We sat on a rock nearby, observing her at work. She brought small bowls of rice to feed the children who came from other nipa huts around the area; they gathered outside her tiny dwelling with nearly nothing in it.
But the richness of her faith and commitment overflowed.
In the midst of the humid, scorching heat, she fed them. They sang songs, and then she nourished their souls with Bible lessons.
I forgot about the discomfort of the outdoors as I listened and observed her joy, her passion and patience with those little ones.
As we were about to leave and head to our next stop in our mission trip, I hugged her. “I admire you,” I said. “You have so little and give so much.”
She gave a shy giggle. “When you have Jesus, you have enough,” she said.
Gulp. Can that be so? Can Jesus really be enough?
Here are three questions to determine if He’s truly enough for us:
- If we lost all we valued in this world, can we still declare we believe and trust in Him?
- If our plans fail, our heart is broken and our future looks bleak, will contentment still fill our hearts?
- If His ways contradict ours, will we still embrace joy?
And if we had nothing, can we repeat what Habakkuk declares?
“Though the fig tree does not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the yield of the olive fails, and the fields produce no food; though the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls—yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me walk on my high places” (Hab. 3:17-19).
Jesus Is Our Strength
When all we value is gone, He is our strength. When our weakness can’t be ignored, He is our strength. When nothing produces fruit in our life, His strength is enough. And in that power and strength, He gives us what we need—the feet to keep on walking, the diligence to stay on track, the ability to focus on Him and the boldness to refuse defeat and begin walking in high places.
And in that journey, victory greets us when we declare: “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and My heart fails, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:25-27).
Let’s Pray
Father, thank You for the forever promise. From now on, my trust is in You as I believe, I embrace and stand on the truth that You are truly enough. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Who or what is enough to strengthen you these days? {eoa}
Janet Perez Eckles is an international speaker and the author of four books. She has helped thousands conquer fear and bring back joy.
This article originally appeared at janetperezeckles.com.
