[Excerpt] Resting in God’s Sufficiency by Marci Ferrell

Autumn usually kicks off a lot of stuff for all of us— school, new routines, and for me, I love a good seasonal cleaning and reflection on making changes to my physical space. I focus a lot on home and what I can optimize or de-clutter. A lot goes into homemaking. As we approach the new season, I am excited to share with you an excerpt from the Thankful Homemaker’s Marci Ferrell’s debut book Homemaking Matters: Living for God’s Glory in the Ordinary (Harvest House, August 11). She shares why moments and acts that may seem ordinary are actually “of eternal significance.” (Press) We hope you are blessed, we hope you share and enjoy this excerpt. If you are blessed and inspired, you can buy the book here.

Resting in God’s Sufficiency

By: Marci Ferrell

There’s a pressure we don’t always talk about, but most of us feel it every day. It’s that unspoken expectation in our minds that we should be doing more, doing it better, and doing it all with a cheerful heart. And when we don’t? We feel like we’ve failed. 

But here’s what I want you to hear clearly: You’re not meant to be enough. That’s not a flaw in your design; it’s a reminder of your need—a need that only Jesus can meet. There’s something freeing in finally admitting that I can’t hold everything together on my own. I wasn’t made to, and neither were you. 

I know what it feels like to measure your worth by the state of your home, the behavior of your children, or the strength of your spiritual life. But none of those things are the standard. Christ is. The good news of the gospel isn’t that Jesus helps those who help themselves. It’s that Jesus came for the weak, the weary, and the not-enough. That’s where we all start, and it’s where we stay dependent. 

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). This isn’t just a kind invitation. It is a gospel call. To labor and be heavy laden is to feel the weight of sin, self-effort, and the burdens this world places on us. Jesus doesn’t tell us to clean ourselves up first. He simply says, “Come.” Rest isn’t found in a better version of ourselves. It’s found in Him. 

You don’t have to keep trying to measure up. You can stop trying to be everything for everyone. Jesus didn’t ask you to be enough. He invites you to come to Him, just as you are, with your hands and heart open. That’s where true rest begins. Jesus doesn’t tell us to clean ourselves up first. He simply says, “Come.” 

We say it often. I even say it at the end of every podcast episode: “Jesus is enough.” It’s a phrase we love because it’s true, but I wonder how often we pause to ask, “Enough for what?” 

Enough to meet me when the day feels like too much. 

Enough to give wisdom when I don’t know what to do next. 

Enough to carry me when I feel like I can’t carry anything else. 

Enough to gently convict and correct me when my priorities get out of order. 

Enough to forgive me when I’ve failed again. 

Enough to be my peace when everything around me feels chaotic.

We aren’t lacking anything we truly need for a faithful, godly life, because His divine power has already given us “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). That means whatever God calls us to today, whether it’s serving our families, showing patience, or trusting Him through trials, He has already provided the strength and grace we need to walk in it. We’re not left searching for more. We’re invited to draw from what we’ve already been given in Christ. 

He’s not just enough for our salvation. He’s enough for real life. For the mom whose toddler has been crying all morning. For the wife trying to communicate through tension. For the woman walking through heartache or chronic pain. For the homemaker whose work feels unnoticed. He is enough in the quiet, the hard, the ordinary, and the overwhelming. 

But how does He do that? He does it through His Spirit who dwells within us, reminding us of truth, convicting us gently, giving wisdom through His Word, and bringing comfort that can’t be explained by circumstances. He doesn’t always strengthen us by removing the hard; sometimes he does it by walking with us through it. He gives us His peace when we pray. He steadies our thoughts when we open His Word. He provides through His people, through unexpected moments of quiet, and through just enough energy for the task in front of us. His help is always present.

“He gives us His peace when we pray. He steadies our thoughts when we open His Word.”

Jesus is enough to save us. Scripture tells us in Hebrews 10:14 that “by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (niv). That means our salvation isn’t dependent on how well we’re doing today. It’s grounded in the finished work of Christ. We don’t need Jesus plus a better quiet time. We don’t need Jesus plus a spotless home or a calmer spirit. We just need Jesus. He alone saves. He alone restores. He alone redeems. 

Intellectually, we know this. But still, it’s easy to start living as though we need to add something to our salvation to earn God’s approval. Maybe we feel we’ve drifted too far or failed too often. Maybe we avoid prayer because shame tells us we haven’t done enough to come near. When those thoughts creep in, we have to come back to the gospel and remind our hearts of what is true. 

We were dead in our sin, unable to save ourselves, but God, in His mercy, sent Jesus, who lived the perfect life we couldn’t live, died in our place, and rose again so that we could be forgiven, made new, and brought near to Him. When we repent of our sins and trust in Christ alone, we are saved. Not because of anything we’ve done, but because of everything He has done. We are no lon ger defined by our failures but by His righteousness. That’s why Jesus is enough. His grace is greater than our worst days, and His finished work has already secured our place with Him. 

“He alone saves. He alone restores. He alone redeems.”

His grace is sufficient for our salvation. It’s also sufficient for our daily life. Jesus is enough to strengthen and sustain us. One of my favorite reminders comes from 2 Corinthians 12:9, where the Lord says: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I find myself quoting that often, not just to others but to myself. Weakness isn’t something to avoid; it’s the very place where Christ’s strength is most clearly seen. 

I’ve had days where I’ve clung to that truth through tears, walking through a trial with no clear end in sight. Sometimes I can barely do the next thing, and I feel like I have nothing left to offer. In those moments, remembering that Jesus sees me, is with me, and will carry me through, even when nothing changes right away, gives me peace because His presence is enough. 

Those moments have also been some of the sweetest reminders that He is faithful, even when I don’t feel strong. His grace really is sufficient. Not just in theory, but in the middle of real-life heart ache and everyday weakness. Maybe you’ve wondered how His grace is sufficient. How does that actually work? 

His grace meets us right where we are, not where we think we should be. God doesn’t wait for us to pull it together. His grace comes to us in our weakness. It’s His presence, His help, and His strength given freely, not earned. When Paul pleaded for his thorn to be taken away, God didn’t remove it. Instead, He reminded Paul that His grace was enough and that His power shines most clearly in our weakness. Paul didn’t get relief from the hard thing, but he received something better: the sustaining power of Christ at work in him. Sometimes, that strength looks like a changed circumstance, but often, it looks like a changed heart. Jesus may not remove the burden, but He reshapes how we see it. He teaches us to trust Him in it and sometimes even to be thankful for how He’s using it. 

That’s how it works in our lives too. His strength shows up in practical ways. When a mom with young children feels frazzled and exhausted, it might look like a calm response in a moment that would’ve normally led to snapping. When a new wife is feeling overwhelmed by unmet expectations, it might be the gentle prompting to stop and pray instead of spiraling in frustration. When the task list is long and our energy is short, it might mean He gives us clarity to focus on what matters most and peace to let go of the rest. 

“His strength shows up in practical ways.”

Sometimes His strength helps us push forward with what’s needed. But other times, His strength gives us the humility and wisdom to release goals that don’t align with what He’s asking of us. There have been times I’ve realized I was chasing a good thing for the wrong reason, seeking approval, perfection, or control. Instead of giving me the strength to accomplish that thing, the Lord graciously helped me lay it down. That, too, is His sustaining grace at work, reshaping my heart, refining my desires, and freeing me from idols I didn’t realize I was clinging to. 

Often, His help comes in small, quiet ways. Peace that steadies us when everything feels uncertain. A verse that lands in our hearts right when we need it. It may even go unnoticed by us in the moment, but it’s real, and it’s always enough. 

If you’ve ever said to yourself, “I can’t do this today,” you’re in good company. Whether it’s a hard moment in parenting, an ongoing trial, or just the stress of a full day, we all hit the end of ourselves, and that’s where Jesus meets us. We don’t have to push through on our own. We can pause and pray, “Lord, I am weak, but You are strong. Help me trust You right here.” Even one simple verse—taped to the refrigerator, written on a notecard, or prayed through as we stir dinner—can bring our hearts back to truth. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). 

He is also enough to meet our daily needs. Philippians 4:19 reminds us: “My God will supply every need of yours accord ing to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” That includes real-life needs, such as when your bills feel overwhelming, your energy is gone, or your heart is heavy from a strained relationship. He may not answer exactly the way we expect, but He is always faithful to provide what we truly need. Often, it’s encouragement through a friend or provision that comes right on time. 

When we remember how He’s provided before, our hearts learn to rest in the truth that He hasn’t changed, and He won’t fail us now. 

[Excerpted from: Homemaking Matters. Copyright © 2026 Marci Ferrell. Published by Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 97408. www.harvesthousepublishers.com. Used by permission.]

Buy Homemaking Matters here.

About Marci

Marci Ferrell is a follower of Jesus who shares gospel-driven encouragement for homemakers through her blog and podcast at ThankfulHomemaker.com. Her debut book is Homemaking Matters: Living for God’s Glory in the Ordinary. She’s been married to her husband, Doug, since 1986, and they have two grown children and three grandchildren. Marci enjoys caring for her home, studying God’s Word, reading, and helping women embrace the eternal purpose in their everyday homemaking.