In our culture, self-sufficiency is lauded as a prized virtue. The self-sufficient man or woman earns the admiration and respect of all who know them. Miriam Webster defines self-sufficiency as “reliance on one’s own efforts and abilities.” Roy Baumeister, an American social psychologist, defines it as, “a reliance on internal resources to provide life with coherence and fulfillment.” Carl Jung said, “Who looks outside, dreams, who looks inside, awakens.”
But what did Jesus think about all of that? He strongly disagreed. In John 5:39, he declared, “The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.”
Jesus understood that in all things, he must look to God for his sufficiency. He knew that, by himself, he was unable to fulfill his mission of redeeming us from sin and death. Turning Jung’s idea on its head, Jesus knew that looking inside for his sufficiency was a pipe dream, but that looking to his Father for his sufficiency was to fully awake to the truth.
The Apostle Paul agreed, saying in 2 Corinthians 3:5, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God.”
Like Jesus, Paul knew that he could do nothing on his own. He also knew that God was his sufficiency.
Learn why both Jesus and Paul decided to look to God for their sufficiency in all things, and why you should do the same. While your own resources are rather limited, God’s resources are unlimited, and He wants to shower them on all who simply believe. Let God be your sufficiency.
