How many is too many?

Today’s theme is one we all ask ourselves at some point — sometimes out loud, sometimes with a sigh: “How many is too many?”

How many cups of coffee?

How many shoes in the closet?

How many cookies before I admit I’m no longer “just testing and tasting”?

Life is full of these little limits… and sometimes we blow right past them.

But God gives us wisdom for daily life — even for the things that make us laugh at ourselves.

You ever buy something and immediately think, “Okay… maybe this was one too many”? Nope, me either…

Like the stack of reusable grocery bags that is now also needing its own bag.

Or the five candles you bought because “the scents are different, I promise.”

Or sweaters — because I don’t have this color with pockets…

We all have our things.

But here’s something true this time of year: there are never too many ways to give. Shelters, ministries, food banks, and families in need always welcome generosity. It’s one area where “too many” isn’t a thing.

When we ask ourselves, “How many is too many?” God often answers in a different direction — not with limits, but with wisdom.

James 1:5 (NLT) — “If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you.”

God isn’t stingy with wisdom.

He doesn’t roll His eyes and say, “Really? You’re asking again?”

He welcomes the question.

Whether it’s a big decision or the little ones that shape our days, His guidance is abundant — never too much, never too little.

You know when the real “how many is too many” moment hits?

When you’re trying to put leftovers in the fridge and the containers fall out like an avalanche. Thanksgiving weekend really knows how to humble your Tupperware drawer.

Or when your phone storage warns you — again — that it hasn’t backed up in 39 weeks. You stare at it thinking, “WHAT more can I possibly delete?”

But with God and His blessings? There are never too many.

Here’s some encouragement to carry with you:

“God gives me the wisdom I need, exactly when I need it.”

Steady, simple, true.

He is a good God who provides exactly what we need.

There are some things we never seem to set a limit on.

Throw pillows, for example.

How many is too many?

We don’t know — we’ve never reached the top of that mountain.

Or coffee mugs. You buy a new one because it “speaks to you.” Next thing you know, you’re rearranging shelves to make it fit.

My family would absolutely say something if I brought home another cup… or sweater... or pair of shoes.

Sometimes the things we collect say something about us. Sometimes they just say, “It was on sale.”

It’s fun to laugh at the small things, but the real “how many is too many?” moments often come from emotional or spiritual weight.

How many worries are too many?

How many responsibilities are we carrying alone?

How many times have we said yes… when our soul needed rest?

Jesus gently invites us to set those burdens down.

Matthew 11:28 — “Come to me… and I will give you rest.”

God isn’t asking us to juggle everything. He’s asking us to trust Him with what’s too heavy.

“How many is too many?” might not be the right question.

Maybe the better one is:

“Lord, what do You want for my pace, my peace, and my priorities?”

He has a gentle way of simplifying what we tend to complicate.

Let’s take a moment to pray.

Lord, thank You for giving us wisdom in all areas of life — even the humorous, ordinary ones. Help us recognize what’s healthy, what’s too much, and what truly matters. Guide our choices today with simplicity, peace, and clarity. Amen.

You know when you look in your pantry and realize you’ve bought the same item over and over?

Five jars of peanut butter.

Ten cans of the same soup.

That moment when you say, “Okay… now it’s too many.”

Life has those moments outside the pantry too.

Sometimes we take on too many commitments, too many expectations, too many worries — and it sneaks up on us.

But God gently invites us to simplify.

To breathe.

To trust that less can actually become more when we hand things over to Him.

“How many is too many?” is less about counting and more about listening —

Listening to your limits.

Listening to your life.

Listening to God’s gentle voice that says,

“You don’t have to carry more than you’re meant to.”

God never overloads us. He guides us into balance, clarity, and peace.

You’re allowed to simplify.

You’re allowed to set things down.

You’re allowed to choose what matters.

Here’s a question to carry with you today:

“What’s one thing in your life right now that might be… just a little too many?”

Not to judge — just to notice.