Never Enough: God is Greater than the Highs and Lows
Do you ever wake up feeling like you’re not enough, thinking, “if only I had a little more money, a nicer car, a bigger house”?
It’s that sense that you or the things in your life aren’t quite sufficient. You can’t help but think, “will I ever be enough?” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve woken up feeling behind or inadequate. Maybe you’re wondering if God is greater than the highs and lows or maybe you’re wondering if he even exists. Author and researcher Brené Brown has studied this feeling of “never enough” extensively, calling it a scarcity mindset that fuels a “never enough” culture.
Brown has studied populations of people and analyzed her research data to identify patterns in humanity that reveal underlying problems and her research often points to potential solutions. Brown questions whether a cultural shift is leading people toward misguided solutions. So, what has Brown’s research shown us about how we’re navigating this new age?
We’re seeking abundance, striving for extraordinary lives, and trying to fill a persistent feeling of insufficiency.
All of this is intensified by social media’s comparison culture. We’ve been led to believe that if we don’t feel “sufficient,” then more abundance will cure our discontent. Social media may be responsible, at least partially. Brown lays out a deeper reason for this scarcity culture that I’ll dive into later, but social media certainly highlights and intensifies the problem. So many people aspire to be extraordinary, to be influencers; the desire for more is evident, and the comparison game is off the charts.
But her research suggests that abundance isn’t the answer.
So, where does this scarcity mindset really come from? It often takes root in collective traumas, recessions, 9/11, school shootings, and other crises. Together, we’ve been conditioned to live in “survival mode,” which pushes us into a scarcity mindset. Over time, our culture has adopted this mindset, and social media has only amplified it, reinforcing the idea that more is the solution to our sense of lack.
With a culture shaped by years of difficult events and a digital world that magnifies our insecurities, what does Brown’s research offer to address this problem? Her answer lies in the concept of believing that you are enough, without seeking more. This approach challenges the scarcity mindset, shifting the focus from external abundance to inner worth. There are more dynamics at play that I’ll discuss later in this series, but for now, it’s helpful to understand this idea simply. Her research suggests that a sense of “enoughness” can help resolve the feeling of scarcity, the very scarcity that fuels our desire for more.
Brené Brown reminds us that the words “I am enough” aren’t rooted in achievement or perfection, but in something far deeper: our inherent worth as human beings. We are loved, not because we’ve proven ourselves, but because we exist. And when we begin to believe that truth, we no longer have to anchor our value in success, appearance, or approval. Instead of hiding our flaws, we can acknowledge them, because imperfection isn’t a personal failure, it’s a shared condition. None of us walks through life untouched by struggle, and in recognizing that, we find the freedom to stop pretending and start connecting.
Across years of research, Brown has identified striking patterns: the people who live with the most courage and joy aren’t those who have it all together, but those who are willing to show up with their whole, imperfect selves. They’ve traded the exhausting chase of “never enough” for the quiet strength of knowing they are already loved.
WHEN WISDOM ENCOUNTERS SCRIPTURE
So where does this wisdom align with deeper truth? It comes close, but not all the way. Brown’s research points to a profound reality: when we begin to believe we are “enough,” our lives often become more grounded, joyful, and whole. And I think she’s uncovered something essential about what it means to be human. But if you’re anything like me, you might find yourself asking: Who says I’m enough? Where does that sense of worth actually come from? The idea is powerful, yes, but without something solid beneath it, it can start to feel fragile. Almost like building a life on a beautiful idea that could collapse under pressure.
Because if my worthiness is essential, who gives me that worth? If love is what I need, who is truly loving me?
The feeling of being enough is important, but it can’t hold the weight of our deepest longings on its own. We need a source beyond ourselves, something, or someone, unchanging and true. Otherwise, “I am enough” becomes just another affirmation we’re trying to believe on our own strength. The Bible directs us to seek that “enoughness” in God himself, not in ourselves.
God is greater than the highs and lows because he is enough.
As Philippians 4:19 reminds us,
“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
Similarly, Matthew 6:25-26 teaches,
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear…Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
It is biblical to experience a sense of "enoughness.“ But the real question is: where are we seeking it? True, lasting contentment is not found within ourselves or in material things, but in God, who promises to provide for all our needs. Can we pull ourselves out of a "insufficient" mindset and live as God calls us to, embracing the feeling of "enough"? Research highlights the power of this mindset, often without recognizing its biblical foundation.
God is present in the findings about human nature. However, as fallible beings, we often misunderstand or only partially grasp the truth. Where does our source of sufficiency truly come from? There is a gift of sufficiency that, when fully experienced, is like no other feeling imaginable. It doesn’t come from material things, because those things will always fade. It doesn’t come from within, because we will inevitably crumble under the weight of what we cannot do.
If we acknowledge our brokenness and imperfection, why would looking within ourselves be the solution? Understanding that we are enough is both powerful and true, but where does this value truly come from? We need something greater than ourselves to give us that sense of worth. And we have that. We have someone who stood in our broken place to redeem our brokenness. The gift of sufficiency is one given to us by Christ, who is sufficient for us.
Thankfully, Scripture helps us realign our perspective on how God is greater than the highs and lows. By allowing wisdom to encounter Scripture, we can see this "enoughness" as God intended, finding contentment because He stood in our broken place and offered Himself, perfect and sufficient for all our needs.
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Citation
Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
The Bible. (2016). English Standard Version (ESV). Crossway.
(Original work published 2001)
