God will provide: This proves it
ChatGPTHave you ever wrestled with the fear of whether God will provide something you desperately need?
We know God wants us to be content and thankful for what we do have. But sometimes that's hard in the face of distressing need.
I love how Jesus directly addresses this weakness of ours. In Matthew 6:8, just before he teaches on the Lord's Prayer, he says, "[Y]our Father knows what you need before you ask him."
We're not talking here about the prosperity gospel's manufactured "faith" that forces God's hand, but a deep trust that the Lord will not fail to provide what we need. Remember the sparrows? "Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care" (Mt. 10:29b, NIV). Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."
In The Mystery of Providence, John Flavel writes, "Another gracious performance of Providence for us is seen in making provision from time to time for us and our families" (p. 84). What a beautiful thought.
Flavel points out that providence should be viewed in the "line of life." He writes, "It is not just the supply of one or two pressing needs, but all your wants, as they grow from day to day through all your days."
In many places throughout Scripture, God bears this out. For example, in Luke 22:35, Jesus asks the disciples, "When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?" Their answer: "Nothing." In Psalm 111:5 (NIV), we read, "He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever."
Flavel gives us a useful exercise to affirm our belief that God will indeed provide: "I persuade you, reader, to record the ways of Providence, from first to last, throughout your whole course to this day, that you may see what a God He has been to you" (p. 85).
Looking back over your life, have you ever literally counted your blessings? If I think about the times he protected me, provided financially, guided a decision, or blessed me with his presence, I am overwhelmed.
What would your list look like? Why not take some time to write down some of the ways he's blessed you?
If you're in great need at this moment, you may be surprised at the peace this exercise can bring.
Counting on him,
Tom Harper
Founder, BiblicalLeadership.com
LinkedIn profile | My books
 | Tom Harper is publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com and executive chairman of Networld Media Group, a business-to-business publisher and event producer. He has written five books, including Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership (DeepWater Books, 2019) as well as the Christian business fable Through Colored Glasses and its sequel Inner Threat (DeepWater, 2022). Learn More » |
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- Why does God often wait until the last minute to providentially help us? (by Tom Harper)
