To Be Still and Know...God Knows Your Needs

"...for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!"  Matthew 6:8b

Recently I found myself spiraling into an old familiar worried mind set over financial needs. Most of my adult life I have fallen into a pit of ugly dark worry and depression whenever uncertain financial times arise.  God's always been faithful to meet every single need we have ever had yet I would still find myself in that internal frenzied worried place every time a new financial need arose.  It wasn't so much that I forgot about the past provisions from the Lord, it was more so I was worried that maybe this time He wouldn't meet the need, for a variety of made up reasons. Yet every time He would meet them in His way, in His time. Over the past few months the Lord has been growing me in big ways, simply by spending time being still and listening for His voice through His Word and through a prayer life overhaul!  My prayer life has been ignited and I can sense the Lord presence in everything I do and everywhere I go.  It is truly life changing and amazing!  Of course along with that inevitably comes attacks from Satan.  The devil hates when we as Christians grow spiritually because that overflows into all areas of our lives and therefore we become examples of Christ to others which leads other to the Lord and there's nothing more satan hates than losing another soul to Jesus.  So I guess you could say I was expecting some challenges to hit.  My first reaction when the financial uncertainties popped up was to get panicky and worried.  Then I remembered my new prayer journal I began, where I not only write out requests but then search the Bible for verses that I can apply to my requests.  So I sat down and turned to a passage I have read many many times but this time chose to stop and meditate on how each verse applied to my current situation.  After doing this I felt renewed hope and assurance that God absolutely has it worked out and will keep providing for us as long as we keep our focus on Him.  Here is the passage I am speaking about. 

"That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life- whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear.  Isn't life more than food and your body more that clothing?  Look at the birds.  They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them.  And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?  Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?  And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow.  They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you.  Why do you have so little faith?  So don't worry about these things, saying 'What will we eat?  What will we drink? What will we wear?'  These thoughts dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your Heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.  So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries.  Today's trouble is enough for today."  Matthew 6:25-34

I underlined certain portions that really stood out to me when I was praying through these verses this week.  We are the most important part of God's creation!  And if He takes time to provide for the animals and plants of the world, how much more will He take care of His most important creation, us!  There is an absolute in this verse, "He will certainly care for you."  Certainly or absolutely.  God promises to meet our needs, and He knows every single need we will ever have before it ever comes up.  There is a key point to these verses though that many miss, and that is "Seek the Kingdom of God ABOVE ALL ELSE, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need."  We cannot treat our relationship with the Lord with lukewarmness.  We all have to decide for ourselves what is most important in our lives.  Is it seeking out entertainment?  Money?  Possessions?  Vacations?  Sports?  Diets and looking a certain way?  Moving up at work?  As always this is a time for you to ask yourself questions in the privacy of your own heart and mind.  What do you spend most of your time doing?  Thinking about?  Pursuing?  This is what is most important in your life.  God tells us in this passage of Scripture that it is when we are seeking Him first and foremost that all our needs will be met.  I think part of that is because once we are truly submitted to Him and putting Him first in our lives, our priorities change and then we understand what needs versus wants are. God won't always make things easy and comfortable for us, but He will always work things out for our best and in the process make His glory and power evident.  He can and will use all things we go through to point us and others to Himself.  That's why we are here afterall!  So take heart you don't need to worry about your needs being met.  You don't need to work so hard that you are exhausted and grumpy and too worn out to be any good for anyone or anything. God will meet them!  He just asks that you keep your focus on Him and trust Him to provide.   

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might as or think." Ephesians 3:20