Enough

The saying that you don't know what you've got until it's gone is painfully true.

We've been having problems with our water heater. Most days a very quick shower would spare us from a very cold shower, but on Sunday we had no hot water whatsoever, and not a lot of hope in fixing it that day. Despite troubleshooting, manual reading, replacing the heating elements, and consulting with others my husband hadn't quite figured what the problem was.

And I was flipping out.

How could we not have hot water? How would I bathe? Do laundry? Do dishes? Survive??!!

And quickly my thoughts turned to the country of Haiti. I have the inconvenience of spending a day or two without hot water, while an entire nation is suffering. Total devastation and destruction. People buried in rubble. And the fact that I can't take a nice warm bubble bath is a big deal to me?

Here I am, blessed beyond measure with every luxury and convenience imaginable, and one's taken away for the day and I think the worst has happened. But what if I was in Haiti? What if I didn't have any water, or any food, or a place to live? What if I'd lost everything I owned, lost everyone I loved, and I was left with nothing?

Nothing except Christ.

Would He be enough?

Oh, I say He is. I even sing in church that He is more than enough for me. But do I really mean it? If everything was stripped away and all I had was my Savior, could I like Paul say in Philippians 4:11-13 "I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am."

I'm not there. Yet. And that's the hope I have. That He will continue to work in me and teach me how to be fully content in Him. How to find everything I need in Him alone.

Whether I have hot water, cold water, or no water at all.

Emily