William Gaultiere, Ph.D. © 2009
“Jesus is enough for me!” Do you believe this?
Probably you would say that you do. When you list out your life priorities I can image that you write “Love God” or “Follow Jesus Christ” at the top of your list.
My question for you is: Have you organized your whole life around being devoted to Jesus? Is your relationship with Jesus the source of your well-being and identity?
Eight years ago (I had been a Christian for over 30 years at that point) I started doing this. What an adventure my life has become! Christ has become more and more pre-eminent in my thoughts, desires, and conversations. Love, joy, and peace have become more and more pervasive.
Praying Psalm 131 is a spiritual practice that has helped to form my heart to mean it when I say, “Jesus is enough for me!” I memorized this short Psalm (in the JB Phillips version) and I meditated deeply on it a number of times over a two-year period. One morning I fasted and prayed at the ocean and mostly all I did was pray the Psalm with Jesus.
This led to composing my “Jesus is Enough” prayer, which is a paraphrase of part of Psalm 131. What a blessing this prayer has been to me! It helps me to devote myself to living in “passionate indifference” to all things except Jesus. What joy to delight in Jesus and discover that he is our sweet sufficiency!
I invite you to examine your life. One-by-one identify the people, passions, and projects that are important to you. Consider that without Jesus at the center they leave you empty. Make Jesus your All in all as you pray: “Jesus is enough for me.”
To pray “Jesus is Enough” meditatively you need to go through it s-l-o-w-l-y. (And you may need to print this devotional out and do your prayer in a quiet, serene place away from your computer!)
Offer my “Jesus is Enough” prayer one line at a time, letting the last word or image of each line echo throughout your soul as you pause quietly before going onto the next line. At the end when you pray only the name of Jesus simply remain in stillness with your Lord, letting Jesus hold you…
(After you’ve had ample time to enjoy “abiding in Christ”, try offering this prayer for the people the Lord puts on your heart, praying: “Jesus is enough for _________.”)
Jesus is Enough (A Prayer from Psalm 131)
Jesus is enough for me to keep my soul tranquil and quiet like a child in its mother’s arms – content…
Jesus is enough for me to keep my soul tranquil and quiet like a child in its mother’s arms…
Jesus is enough for me to keep my soul tranquil and quiet…
Jesus is enough for me to keep my soul tranquil…
Jesus is enough for me to keep my soul…
Jesus is enough for me to keep…
Jesus is enough for me…
Jesus’ smile is enough…
Jesus’ embrace is enough…
Jesus’ breath is enough…
Jesus is enough…
Jesus…
It’s people like you who support the ministry of Soul Shepherding, which includes articles like this. Perhaps you would like to invest in the renewal of pastors, missionaries, leaders, and care-givers? Even small donations given with prayer in Jesus’ name add up to make Soul Shepherding’s ministry possible.Thank you!
Bill & Kristi
William Gaultiere, Ph.D. & Kristi Gaultiere, Psy.D. ~ http://www.soulshepherding.org
