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The Opposite of More


I was listening to a program that had the author of 'The Shack' speaking. He was talking about losing everything he owned and starting over. He said something that I wrote down because I thought it was  significant. He said 'the opposite of more, isn't less. The opposite of more, is enough'. I can admit that I struggle with that in my life. We live in a world where we are constantly told that we are less than, if we don't have everything other people have. We concentrate more on others' blessings, than our own.
We scroll tirelessly on social media sites, envious of each other's houses, clothes, parenting, hair, personalities, talents, etc. We set up our own perfect pictures, removing any clutter from the photo, and instead, staging what looks to be an intimate hallmark moment. Then we filter it obsessively until it no longer even resembles real life. We make our children get in on the action too. Inadvertently teaching them that the way the world sees them is more important than what's real. I've been so guilty of this, and to my children, I'm sorry.
In this culture we feel the constant pressure to have things other people are envious of. We find our self-worth in other's opinions. I'm sure some people don't have that issue, but I know I have struggled with it.
I want to find my self-worth in Jesus. I want so much to not care about having beautiful dishes, or trendy clothes. I want to see the excess in my life through Jesus' eyes. I want to teach my kids that you don't self-assess based on people, but on God's word.
Pastor David gave a sermon at Trinity Chapel, where he said "God made me, He saved me, and that's enough." So often we want extra. We chase after things, and when we get them, we move right along to the next trophy. We need 'more.' I will be happy when I have that new job, new car, new house. Husband, wife, children. We spend valuable time chasing empty sin (anything we put before God is a sin), when we could be pursuing His perfect peace and joy.
Psalm107:9 says "For He satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul He fills with good things."
I love that. Only He can satisfy. If we are looking for something else to fill that void, it will never be filled! We have a Christ sized hole in our hearts, and how long must we try to fill it with the wrong size puzzle pieces?!
Romans 8:5-6 says "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace." In essence, those who live following their sinful selves think only about things their sinful selves want. But those who live following the Spirit are thinking about the things of the Spirit.
This is why keeping our eyes on Jesus is so important. It allows us to see the world in it's true state, with all of it's jewels pulled off. When we take our eyes off Jesus, we start to sink, just ask Peter. We keep looking for that next thing, and if we paused, we would see that Jesus is the only thing. The opposite of more is enough, and Jesus is enough.

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