I was reading my devotion this morning, New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp, and the scripture reading from God’s Word today was in Philippians 4. As I read the whole chapter, this verse that I’ve read many times took hold of my heart; “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” I must admit, there are times I question this promise. I complain! I don’t think God hears my plea. He doesn’t care! I ask and yet God doesn’t ‘meet’ the needs I think I need. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has this problem of unbelief. However, God knows our real need. My ‘needs’ are usually my ‘wants’….my desire to have what I don’t need. NEED! NEED! NEED! Actually, if I’m being honest, many times it’s WANT, WANT, WANT!
I have been so incredibly blessed! God has truly met every need and desire of my heart. Yes, there have been times when I complained about certain things. But God reminds me in His Word that He knows our need and will meet every one of them. That’s His promise. However, we must remember that He alone knows the real need we have. We can trust His promise. He will supply every need according to His riches in glory! We can trust Him. We can lay every need at His feet….He already knows what that need is, so why do we fret and worry? We fret and worry because we don’t know what we really need. We think we do! Yet, when we don’t get what we ‘want’ we accuse God of not being faithful to His promise.
I pray for my grandson to be healed. I pray for a friend who is in need of healing. I pray for a friend who is lost and so unhappy and miserable. I pray for an intervention for my grandchild. On and on I pray, yet it seems God is silent. Where are you, Lord? Have you been in this position? We ask and yet don’t get the answers we want. So, we, or should I say, I, think to myself, why pray? Why keep asking? I keep asking and believing because I know in my heart that God knows best. He will do what He knows is best in the long run. He knows the future. He knows what’s best, even though I think I know. This is where faith comes in. I have faith to believe that my God will do what is best. We see though our human eyes and think with our human hearts. God sees from His vantage point. He knows what we need before we even ask. (Matt. 6:8)
When our precious son-in-law, Mark, passed from this life, it was a struggle for our whole family. We asked for healing. We begged for God to heal him, yet God took him home. We had to praise God even through the storm! He knows what’s best. Mark is with Jesus, so we can rejoice and be glad. Is it hard at times? Yes! But we don’t get angry and blame God for not meeting our need. We know He is a loving father who knows what’s best. He can see beyond today. We cannot. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”
Even though this was written for the children of Israel when they were taken into captivity, it’s for us today, also. So, we can be thankful and know that our Heavenly Father loves us with an unconditional love and hears us. He will supply every need. Trust that He alone knows our need!
I am so thankful for the promises God has for me. I don’t want to just read them and memorize them, I want to walk in them. I want to trust that He will supply those needs. Dear friend, trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don’t lean on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge Him, He will direct your path. (Proverb 3:6) How do we acknowledge Him? By trusting and obeying.
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