More Than Enough Posted by Ashleigh Slater on July 5, 2009

"I woke up with a song in my head this morning," Ted told me, as he munched on his breakfast of cheerios and milk.

"Really? What song?" I asked, half expecting his answer to include a title such as "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain" or "Oh, Susanna!" After all, we do listen to our share of silly songs for kids.

Turns out, I was only partially right. It was a kids' song, but not a silly one. The tune playing in Ted's head came from a VBS CD we'd received last year. Its title? "I Want to Be Grateful."

At the mere mention of the song title, came a reminder of the importance of contentment and the freedom that's found within it. It's this topic that Danielle Ayers Jones discusses in this week's article, "More Than Enough." She writes:

The fact is I always want more: more books, music, clothes, camera lenses, and Starbucks. The more I get the more I want. Sometimes what I want isn't just material items but better circumstances, like perfect kids and a comfortable life. I know intellectually that material items and perfect circumstances are not ultimately satisfying, but part of me always wants something that I don't have—like an iPhone—for instance. And this part of me wars against the other side of me that longs to be content in simple daily living, happy with what I have.

I have to ask myself, How much is enough? Will I ever be satisfied, free from the never-ending longing for more?

Continue reading here to find out how Danielle is seeking satisfaction in Jesus, then come back and discuss. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the article and how you are finding freedom in contentment.

Comments

[Tiffany]

You should spend some time overseas. There's nothing quite like poverty to remind us of how much crap (literally) we really have. There's nothing quite like fellow believers who give everything they have to their neighbors to remind us of how selfish we really are.

[Rachael]

I understand about looking for contentment in a desired circumstance change.

Of course, many negative consequences can be due to my sin. And sometimes things are not related to my actions but they are the life circumstances.

I think about how my life circumstances are not all "normal", even though I understand that there is no "normal".

Then today I came home and saw a deer sitting there underneath our porch-deck thing. Sweet...

On the Challies.com blog, people are encouraged to read "The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment", by Jeremiah Burroughs. This book contains a lot of good nuggets. You can find it online for free.

Often times, though, verses and snippets of books or articles just seem 'good' to think about, but I don't always feel their truth in my natural thought or action.

It's neat how the author ended her article this way: "And I'm finding this to be my prayer: that each day will be a step toward satisfaction in God. He is more than enough."

What a wonderful prayer. The words "God is enough" really stand out to me from a blurb I heard by John Piper. He gave an example of an extreme tragedy, and how [it would be good for one to (or something)] say in the midst of loss that, God is enough.

[Alisa Hope Wagner]

Great article!!! We are a great country but we do struggle with always wanting more!!!