In Isaiah 3:16-24, the Lord describes the "daughters of Zion" in the latter days, and the descriptions aren't flattering.
Just a few of the adornments described include "tinkling ornaments about their feet" (vs. 18), "chains," "bracelets," "mufflers," (vs. 19), "bonnets," "ornaments of the leg," "headbands," "earrings," (vs. 20), "rings," and "nose jewels" (vs. 21).
Overall, Isaiah describes 26 various styles and types of accessories.
I'm a pretty simple woman, but I don't think I've ever worn 26 differing types of accessories at the same time in my life.
It seems...excessive, doesn't it?
*Photo credit: Shutterstock*
When I look at anyone who is excessive in the way Isaiah is describing, I can really honestly relate to the description, because underneath all of that excess is actually a sense of insecurity.
Because this "daughter of Zion" so desperately seeks for beauty and approval, she feels the need to be extra in order to receive what she wants.
Maybe she knows that the world judges her worth by the outward appearance.
Maybe she has experienced debilitating levels of rejection and betrayal, and the only way she knows how to deal with this kind of trauma is through the numbing chase of style and sensation.
Regardless of what happened in our daughter of Zion's past to get her to this place, anyone who has ever chased that sense of approval or external affirmation knows that this type of life brings very little lasting joy, confidence, or satisfaction.
As President Nelson recently remarked in his General Conference talk, "The truth is that it is much more exhausting to seek happiness where you can never find it!" (Conf. Report Oct. 2022, emphasis in original)
Fun, beautiful, and exciting as adornments and possessions might be, they do not have the capacity to fill our hearts or build up our self-confidence on their own.
If I am seeking to build the foundation of my self-worth with these types or adornments or behaviors, I continually find myself desperately spending more and more time and effort chasing these surface substances and piling up an excess of them--to no avail.
Just like the daughter of Zion mentioned in Isaiah's prophecy, I will find myself desolate (vs. 26).
In contrast, the Lord promises me, not excess, but "sufficient." (See Topical Guide, "Sufficient."
I'll be honest, though, in my experience, extra has always felt more secure than sufficient to me.
If I have a sufficient amount of money in my bank account to cover our basic needs, it often makes me nervous because what about savings?
What if something comes up?
What about braces and broken garage doors and doctor's bills?
This principle doesn't just apply financially, either. Scarcity hits in a myriad of situations.
If we're making food and we have a sufficient amount, well, what about those hungry teenage boys I have to keep feeding?
If I'm packing for a trip and I pack a sufficient amount of clothes for each day that I plan to be there, I can guarantee that a kid will throw up or get muddy and I'll have to either buy new clothes or find a place to do laundry.
If I have juuuust enough energy to crash into bed at the end of the day, what happens when my kid wakes up needing to go potty at 2:00 in the morning?
I've experienced every one of these supposedly hypothetical situations multiple times in my life, and every time, it has turned out fine. Uncomfortable, perhaps, for a time, but it has always resolved.
So why, then, do I feel this need to lean upon my own extra reserves rather than trusting in God to provide?
I can feel that God is asking me to re-evaluate this mentality in order to invite a deeper level of trust in Him, and I'll be honest that it has me reeling a bit.
Because what about abundance?
God promises abundance (see Topical Guide, "abundance"), but how do abundant and sufficient coincide with my temporal and spiritual mentality? How come abundance doesn't count as excess?
The truth is, God knows exactly how much I need of any given resource at any given time (See JST Matt. 6:27).
Whether the resources in question are energy, focus, food, clothing, money, time, or sleep, He knows exactly what is needed for me to face that day and learn and grow in the ways He has in store for me.
As I, like the Children of Israel, learn to stop trying to gather an excess of manna and learn to more fully trust the Lord to provide for me for each new day, I can see that I am more able to fully rely on God and less often lean unto my own understanding.
I'm still a gal who loves a good buffet (SOOOO much FOOOOOD), but I can learn to eat what is sufficient for my body rather than eating to the point of physical pain.
I can still work to build my savings and be frugal and wise with my income while also showing generosity and abundance in how I use the money I've been given.
I can be careful with my energy, utilizing my time and focus in the most important ways rather than excessively obsessing over entertainment, situations or relationships that only serve to rob me of time and energy that's more joyfully invested in the priorities God has in mind for me.
I can also trust God to lead me through this entire process, helping me to see what will serve me and others and what is more of a threat.
As I learn to embrace the idea of "enough vs. excess," I'm learning to trust God and let Him prevail.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on abundance, enough, sufficiency, scarcity, and excess--is this as difficult of a balancing principle as I think it is for everyone, or is it just me?
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