But as for me, I am poor and needy. (Ps. 40:17)
Kids have a way of helping us remember our humanity. One night, after a very long day of chasing kids, meeting deadlines, and keeping the household afloat, I was ready to plop down on the couch. But first, I had to tuck our nine-year-old into bed. We prayed together—a time I felt was sweet and sincere—but when I opened my eyes, all I could see was my son cringing with his hand over his nose. I asked him what was wrong and without hesitation, he responded, “Your breath smells horrible.”
When life seems to be moving smoothly, it’s easy for us to get a puffed-up version of ourselves. We begin to think, “Wow, I’m really killing it as a (mom, artist, entrepreneur, sister, friend, etc.).” But then comes the reality check: We are human. We have bad breath. We yelled when we should have listened, quit when we should have kept going. We’re poor and needy and prone to error. We are people in need of a savior.
Thank the Lord that he sees us as we are and pursues us anyway. He delivers us in our most desperate, depraved state, because he is love. And we can be “poor and needy” with him because his grace covers all that. God is more than enough when we fall short.
Remember that you are enough because God is enough.
Sarah E. Westfall writes and speaks about seeing God in the beautiful, broken, and in-between places in life. She resides in Indiana with her husband, Ben, and their four boys.
© 2020 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
