You ARE Enough

Written by Jenny, Contributing Writer

There’s a recurring theme in my life, and I suspect that I’m not the only parent, or adult for that matter, who struggles with it.  Feelings of inadequacy.  Never being able to do enough, to be enough, to give enough, to help enough.  Never being able to be everything to everyone in my life.  Sound familiar?  I think it’s a common thread that weaves most of us parents together.

We find out that this sweet little life is going to be entrusted to us, and we have high hopes and big plans.  We want to give our children everything that we didn’t have, provide every opportunity, raise our children better than most others and never fail that sweet little life.  We spend 9 months preparing to be everything that our sweet baby will need, and then reality sets in.

Sometimes we simply can’t do everything or be everything.  We’re only human, we have limited resources and there are only so many hours in the day.  So we don’t measure up to our own ideals, and we begin to feel as though we’re not enough for our family.  Then the guilt and feelings of inadequacy begin to creep in, and we let them take over our entire lives.  We can’t give our children enough stuff, we can’t give them enough time, we don’t raise them the way that we want to, and the list goes on and on.

We have to stop the cycle.  You ARE enough.  Your love and your commitment to your family are enough.  You’re only harming yourself and your family with the constantly insecurity and feelings of inadequacy.  It’s time to believe that you ARE enough.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made by Christ, knit together in your mother’s womb.  He made you just as He intended, and the Master doesn’t make mistakes.  He uniquely equipped you to be the wife and mother that you need to be for your family.  You can’t ask for anything more than that.

Scripture is divinely-inspired truth, and we can find the truth about who we truly are in the Bible.

So what does scripture say about whether or not we’re enough?

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”. (Philippians 4:13)  He has equipped us to do everything that He has called us to do.  

“It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.”  (Psalm 18:32)

“Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”  (Isaiah 40:31)

Scripture clearly shows that through God, we are enough.  There’s nothing that He cannot strengthen us to do, and He will never fail to equip us to fulfill His calling on our lives.  He has called us to be wives and mothers, and He has given us everything that we need to be enough in our roles.

Give yourself love and grace.  Rely on God to enable you to walk down His path for your life.  Accept that God hasn’t called you to be the perfect wife or mother; He has only called you to be a Godly, loving wife and mother.  Look to Him for help, and allow Him to be what you are not.  Pray this scripture daily, and see God’s plan for who you are in Him unfold daily in your life and the life of your family.

 Pray for us. We have no doubts about what we’re doing or why, but it’s hard going and we need your prayers.All we care about is living well before God. Pray that we may be together soon.

How can we encourage other mothers that they are enough?