More than enough

I will never forget the day I passed my final exams achieving the title Master of Theology. It was a very stressful day. I had to wait many hours before I was questioned by the university professors about my thesis (“Honour your mother and father” according to the “Letter to Families” by John Paul II). When I was finally told that I passed all exams, I shared the news with my sisters in the community and my family. Among some congratulations from various people, I was quite challenged by a comment by someone close to me, who asked: So, when are you going to start your doctorate? I understand the encouragement to always learning more, but after many years of studying and working full time I did not have any aspiration for the further study. To tell you the truth, I was hurt by this question. I just wanted to hear: Well done. So, I politely said: Maybe not soon and changed the topic.

A couple of years ago I watched a documentary about the work of psychologists and counsellors. There was one part of that program which really struck me the most. The person questioning the psychologist asked: What is the most common reason people come to you for help and stay in therapy? The answer was: Most of the people come because they feel they are “not enough”: not good enough in their work, not good enough in their relationships, that their life achievements are not enough to meet other people’s expectations.

As we grow and mature in our life, we are called to consider the feedback received from others but also need to have our own benchmark of doing our best. Expectations of others are important, but the true measurement of the progress and life aspiration come from within–from the honesty in our heart telling us if we are improving and what we need to aspire for. 

The not-enough-ness kills many great initiatives, projects, and good ideas. Sometimes it even affects our relationship with God. Just recently, I had a talk with one of my friends about the passage from the Gospel of Matthew: Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Mt 5:48) The most common understanding of this passage suggests that we will never achieve perfection in life, because we can never be like Him.

The Hebrew word perfect means wholeness, soundness, integrity, completeness. And this perfection means also holiness which all of us are called to live daily. What God expects from us is achievable and gives as freedom of heart. We are enough in God’s eyes, and he does not want us to compare ourselves with anyone else.

Our accomplishment in life is measured not by successes but the attempts: to act with kindness, learn from our successes and failures, accepting ourselves and others with a compassionate heart, focusing and re-focusing on our life’s mission instead of being self-centred.

Ultimately, when we will meet God one day, He will ask us about our life without examining if it was perfect.  He will smile at us seeing us complete and whole. And we will know that this is more than enough.

Wishing you a great week.