The Enough Life Is The Abundant Life (#23)

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What do you think of when you hear the word enough? Do you think of ‘just enough’ or ‘not enough’? Does it conjure up images of exasperation, like ‘I’ve had enough’ (which I would actually say is beyond enough and into too much)?

When we live the Enough Life, there is no lack and no settling for unmet needs. There is no excess, nor the baggage that comes with too much. We live in our own unique place of enough.

We’ve talked in earlier posts about the definition of enough. Here is Merriam-Webster’s1 definition (the emphasis is mine):

  • occurring in such quantity, quality, or scope as to fully meet demands, needs, or expectations
  • in or to a degree or quantity that satisfies or that is sufficient or necessary for satisfaction
  • a sufficient number, quantity, or amount

My definition of the word enough is “perfect abundance.” I love how Proverbs 14:30 in the Amplified2 Bible translation describes what I see as the heart’s enough state, “A calm and peaceful and tranquil heart is life and health to the body.” Go ahead and read that again…calm, peaceful, tranquil, life, health. These are markers of the Enough Life.

In the book of John, chapter 10, verse 10, we are told that Jesus came to give His believer’s life, and not just a little life, not only eternal life, but life here on earth in abundance. The Perfect Savior came to give us a life of abundance that we can walk in today. There’s no skimping with God. This is not name-it and claim-it false theology. This is the calm, peaceful, tranquil heart that we all desire. This is living in Jesus’ abundant peace, joy, and satisfaction.

This is the perfect abundance at the heart of the Enough Life!

This week:

Look up these verses in your Bible or an online Bible app and reflect on them this week. Pray and ask God what He wants to say to you through His word and this post.

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1 “Enough.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enough. Accessed 13 Mar. 2021.

2 Amplified Bible (AMP),The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA, 2015.

Minimalism is OK, but it isn’t ENOUGH! (Post #15)

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There is a big distinction between minimalism and living the Enough Life. Allow me to elaborate. 

I understand where minimalism is coming from, I myself even embraced it for a time. The idea is good. Most of us could use a bit of decluttering and less consumption is generally good. Yet, the movement has really become distressing to me. The problem I have with the minimalist movement is that it carries a connotation of limiting, of rules, of getting by with less, of holding back. Of scarcity. In the world of minimalism there seems to be an ongoing burden on your back. There is always a mountain to climb, another closet to go through, vigilance needed at every turn. And I believe that creates a “you have to work for it” mentality which ultimately produces shame because one cannot really ever be a perfect minimalist. And it seems as though those who are live an uncomfortable lifestyle, for which they must remain ever vigilant.

While listening to a popular minimalism podcast, it also occurred to me that minimalism is exactly like hoarding. Now before you laugh and walk away, hear me out. Minimalism perpetuates the same fixation with “stuff” that hoarding does. They are two sides of the same coin. On one side, hoarding is fixated on things, namely trying to fill a void in one’s life through accumulating things. On the other side, minimalism is also fixated on things, namely trying to fill a void in one’s life by controlling their collection of things. Sure, minimalism may appear a more noble endeavor, but I’m convinced that the root of minimalism can be as insidious as hoarding and ultimately as unkind to your soul.

The ‘things’ of life are only a part of this life, they should not be our focus. In fact, the most important things in life are not things at all.

By contrast, the Enough Life is about getting by with MORE! More joy, more satisfaction, more relief from the shame and woulda, coulda, shoulda of life! This Enough Life is freedom. It is not a hill to climb, it’s a beautiful wide open space filled with all of your favorite loves. There is no guilt in this Enough Life, and everyone’s enough is unique. Everyone gets to be who they are and decide for themselves – based on their level of peace and joy – what is enough for them.

Sometimes minimalism is referred to as a lifestyle, but it seems to me that it is really more of a ritual. In contrast, this Enough Life really is a lifestyle…which takes no effort. It is a way of thinking and approaching all of life, to get the most out of it. It isn’t about controlling life, it is about embracing life.

The Enough Life is not about taking things out of your life, its about filling your life (and home) with that which really satisfies. Not counterfeit satisfaction, real satisfaction. Real peace. Real joy. It isn’t about limiting, it is about maximizing that which truly matters and removing that which doesn’t. And the Enough Life is not limited to things, it transcends the material goods of life and actually applies to all areas of life based on what is kind to your soul and what is life-giving and peace-inducing. 

Try it….and be kind to your soul today!