10. You'll have more joy. This is by far the best reason to embrace living with enough. Joy has nothing to do with circumstances, but it has everything to do with perspective. If riches brought joy (or even happiness), then those of us with more than enough would be the most joyous people on earth. If riches brought joy, then King Solomon (one of the wealthiest men in history) wouldn't have lamented in Ecclesiastes about the meaninglessness of his life. But the reality is that riches often sap the joy right out of us. They're a cheap substitute for the spiritual, soul-satisfying treasure of a life of intimacy with God. When Jesus promised to give us abundant life, he wasn't talking about wealth. If that were the case, he wouldn't have died for us; he could have just written each of us a check. Jesus' death shows us that what we need most is access to God, and that's something riches can never give us. Joy can't be bought, but it can be snuffed out. Joy thrives best in an environment of less, not more.
Moving Toward Enough
From Melissa: As a single mom, simplicity is key for me. The idea of "less is more" is my way of life. I only buy used cars, which keeps my budget manageable—NO CAR PAYMENTS! Also I recently did a complete overhaul of my housing and downsized dramatically. It has been such a huge relief and has helped me see how I can be more efficient when I go shopping and in how I organize my life. My budget is simple: rent, electricity, phone, car insurance, child care, gas, food—like I said, simple! Keeping it simple takes a lot of stress out of life for me. I am much better equipped to deal with life's curveballs. For me it is really about knowing that all I have comes from God, and taking care of what he has given me is really important. It is the least I can do.
For Further Reflection
1. Read Matthew 6:11 seven times. Each time you read it, emphasize and reflect on the significance of one word (GIVE us this day; Give US this day; Give us THIS day; etc.)
2. Read Philippians 4:11-12 and think about how much Paul's statement does or does not reflect how you feel.
3. Considering where you are in your life right now (marriage and/or family, career, housing, retirement plans, etc.), how close are you to being able to declare that you have enough?
© 2012 by Will Davis Jr.
Excerpt reprinted with permission from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. www.revellbooks.com
For more resources and conversation about the new book Enough, visit the Patheos Book Club here.
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