By Erin Cackler, mission development minister
The Spirit of the One you follow is the spirit of love and peace.
There are times I find myself wanting more, more from myself, more from my husband, more from my home. More energy for my kids, more patience in the chaos, more certainty about the future.
Recently I’d been consumed with thoughts of more space, space so my kids could have their own room, space to host family and friends, or even property where we could build someday if housing became too expensive. Beneath my want for more were quiet worries. What if I don’t provide enough? What if something goes wrong? Am I doing enough?
Sitting with those questions, I realized my real struggle: trusting God’s abundance. My desire for more comes from a fear of scarcity, a worry that there won’t be enough to go around or satisfy me. In the manna story from Exodus, God gave the Israelites just enough for each day. They were told not to hoard, not to gather more than they needed. When they did, the extra spoiled. Manna could not be stored. It had to be received daily, in trust.
Lately I’ve been learning what I call the “lesson of enough.” It’s not about having less. It’s about noticing what’s already given and asking harder questions, “Do I have enough, or am I reaching for more out of fear?” I see abundance in the laughter in our small living room, the way we rearrange furniture to fit everyone at Christmas, the warmth of a home full of life and love. It’s not effortless, but it is enough: enough space, enough joy, and enough blessing.
But “enough” is more than gratitude. It’s also restraint. It’s taking only what I need, so there is enough left for others—an ethic the manna story presses us to consider both individually and as communities.
“Enough” doesn’t mean giving up on wanting more. It means holding those wants lightly, trusting in God’s abundance and knowing there is always blessing right where I am. When I pause, breathe, and notice the gifts already around me, a quiet contentment rises. When I trust there is enough, I become more willing to share, care for my community, and tend creation with love rather than fear. God’s abundance isn’t just for me. It’s meant to flow through me, so that all creation may flourish.
Prayer Phrase
“Happy are those who observe justice” (Psalm 106:3).
Healing and Reconciliation
Gather a small mound of stones. Meditate on the stones as symbols of differences and destructive acts that continue to separate and wound the human family. Name and anoint each “stone wound” with a drop of water or scented oil. Offer them to God in a prayer for healing and reconciliation.
Today’s Prayer for Peace
Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.