The Lie We Tell Ourselves: Why More Isn't Better

We live in a world that constantly whispers the same message: what you have isn't enough. One more purchase, one more upgrade, one more experience—that's what stands between you and true happiness. It's the oldest lie in the book, literally tracing back to the Garden of Eden when the serpent convinced Adam and Eve that what God had given them wasn't sufficient.

But what if the stuff you have is actually keeping you from the life you want?

The Truth About "Enough"

In Acts 27, we find Paul and his companions on a storm-battered ship. After two weeks without food, they finally ate until they were satisfied. Then something remarkable happened: "When they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship and threw out the wheat into the sea" (Acts 27:38).

When they had enough, they got rid of what they didn't need.

This simple statement carries profound wisdom for our cluttered lives. Enough is when you have what you need. Not what advertisers tell you to want. Not what your neighbors have. Not what social media suggests will complete you. Just enough.

The problem is that almost none of us live like we believe we have enough. Our closets overflow with clothes we don't wear. Our garages are so packed with possessions that we can't fit our cars inside. Some of us even rent additional storage units because we've run out of room for our stuff in our own homes.

A Prayer That Changes Everything

If we truly want to live differently in a culture obsessed with accumulation, we need to pray two revolutionary prayers:
God, give me less of what doesn't matter.
God, give me more of what does matter.
These aren't casual requests. They're counter-cultural declarations that challenge everything our society values.

Jesus addressed this directly in Matthew 6:19-21: "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will be also."

Our treasures reveal our hearts. If we want transformed lives, we need transformed hearts—hearts that value what actually matters.

Stripping Off the Weight

Hebrews 12:1-2 gives us clear direction: "Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus."

What weights you down? For some, it's literal stuff—the endless accumulation of possessions that demand our time, money, and attention. For others, it's an overstuffed schedule that leaves no room for what truly matters. We're so busy racing from activity to activity that we don't have time for Jesus, for family, for rest, or for meaningful relationships.

The most spiritual thing some of us could do is create a "to-don't" list. Cancel the subscription. Delete the app. Say no to another commitment. Give away what we haven't used in a year. Strip off everything that hinders our relationship with what—and who—matters most.

What Really Matters

Ecclesiastes 4:6 offers this wisdom: "Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and a chasing after the wind."

Better is one handful without the constant stress of maintaining and fixing things. Better is one handful without crushing debt. Better is one handful and time with your family instead of pouring your life into temporary possessions.

Think about it: if you discovered you only had a few months to live, what would suddenly matter? Your relationship with God. Your spouse and children. Making a difference for others. Showing love. Living with purpose.

What wouldn't make the list? Your furniture. Your new TV. Your latest gadget. The countertops you just remodeled.

The most meaningful things in life are not things.

The moments that truly matter are holding hands with someone you love, watching transformation in someone's life, experiencing forgiveness, worshipping with your whole heart, and seeing others discover hope. These are the treasures that last.

The Complete Statement

"I have enough" feels incomplete because in our consumer-driven world, we're trained to always want more. But there's a way to say it with complete conviction:
Because I have Jesus, I have enough.

This isn't empty religious talk. It's the testimony of the Apostle Paul, who wrote from experience in Philippians 4:12-13: "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Him who gives me strength."

Paul discovered contentment wasn't dependent on his circumstances but on his relationship with Christ. Whether he had abundance or faced scarcity, Jesus was enough.

Jesus in the Foreground

The problem for many of us isn't that we don't have Jesus—it's that He's in the background of our lives. Our days are so crammed with everything else that there's no room for Him. He's easy to miss, easy to ignore, easy to forget when He's pushed to the margins.

But when Jesus moves to the forefront—when we seek Him first, when we pursue Him with intention—everything changes. He's not just a historical figure or a Sunday concept. He becomes our closest friend, our counselor, our guide, our comforter, our confidence.

When you're in a car accident, you don't want a pile of cash next to you—you want Jesus. When you face surgery, you don't want more social media followers—you want more of Jesus. When you send your children into the world, you don't just want success for them—you want Jesus in their hearts.

Living Lean, Living Free

Living with less of what doesn't matter creates space for more of what does. It's not about deprivation—it's about freedom. Freedom from debt, from distraction, from the exhausting chase for things that will never satisfy.

Your life is too valuable and your calling too great to waste on things that don't last.

Because when you have Jesus—truly have Him at the center of everything—you have enough. If you're sick, He's your healer. If you're hurting, He's your comforter. If you're discouraged, He's your joy. If you've sinned, He's your Savior.

Because I have Jesus, I have enough.