There is a novel written by Nikos Kazantzaki (a Greek writer, widely considered a great writer of modern Greek literature) in which the main character would ask God: what is your true name? He always heard a voice saying: “my name is ‘it-is-not-enough’, since that is what I say to all those who dare to love me.”
The meaning of this story is not “God always demands more love,” but rather, that those who interiorly have the desire to love God, should hear the voice that says: it is not enough. The reason is simple: He does not demand because we cannot really do anything for God. He is perfect and immutable, which means that we cannot add anything to Him or His glory. Whatever we do does not change God.
Those who understand love as “receiving” do not really understand love. Love is not a matter of receiving but of giving. This is why God can love us; since He cannot receive anything from us, but He can give to us, and in fact He does give to us and He actually gives to us as if what He already gave is not enough.
We can say that “it is not enough,” is a good definition of love. For those who really love someone, nothing is enough, they always want to do something else, because love, real love, does not want anything other than to do good to the loved one and we can always do more good things for our loved ones.
If we really want to love God, we should hear these words every single day and every day we should try to do something more. We must not be content or satisfied with what we do for God, but rather we should always think that “it is not enough.” This thought will help us to continually grow in His love.
Giving rather than receiving is what really makes love grow. God says to us: “it is not enough” not because He wants to receive more, but rather, because the only way to grow in loving Him is by giving Him more. If we want to base our relationship with God on what He gives us or in receiving from Him and giving the minimum necessary, we will never be able to really love Him.
A loving relationship, which is real friendship, is an exchange, or even a battle, for giving. And God, of course, will always win that battle, since we cannot give Him more than what He gave us, but holiness means trying our best to win, even though we know that we will not win. So, the question is: He already gave us His only Begotten Son, what will I give Him?
