God promises to provide all that we need:
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19
Is this a promise of financial prosperity or ‘blessing’? I would argue it can mean the opposite at times. Sometimes what we need is a life hardship to get our attention, to see things differently, to change our ways. Sometimes our comfort leads us to apathy or worse, neglect. A loving Father will see that and do what doesn’t feel nice for the benefit of the child…
God does provide yes – but what we need not what we want…sometimes He will supply what seems to be a bad situation, to teach us or draw us close to Himself.
This is what we need!
Harry Ironside used to often act in faith and go to a place to preach. Once, he spent 2 weeks in California preaching only to find himself broke and without money for food or lodging.
He spent he night in the park with an empty stomach wondering why God wasn’t providing.
But that night in his prayer & meditation, God highlighted areas in His life where he had grown careless – he describes that night as a spiritual awakening.
The next day, friends took him to lunch and gave him accomodation, the church he was preaching at took up and offering and he completed his mission.
Later he went to the post office where a letter was waiting from his father that said:
“God spoke to me through Philippians 4:19 today. He has promised to supply all our need. Some day he may see that I need a starving! If he does, he will supply that.”
His fathers words cemented what God had shown him – he needed a little ‘starvation’ so God provided that.
What is God providing for you at the moment? Is there things that are not nice that He is trying to use to get your attention? How are you responding?
For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.
2 Corinthians 7:10
Conclusion: We need what God provides – even if we don’t like it!
PRAYER: Lord, help us to identify what you are providing and learn from it. May we turn to you and not away
NOTES: I