We all need things we don’t yet have, don’t control, or worry we’ll lose. We’re dependent on other people and things for our survival, much more than we think.
This worry about our needs can become all consuming. We can get consumed with worry about food, shelter, and savings. We can get consumed with whether or not we’ll be loved. We can get consumed about making sure we have security and protection from harm.
Into the midst of our worries, we have this promise from God, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).
This promise is a rock of refuge in a sea of anxiety about our needs. It is a foundation on which we can build our lives as Jesus taught us (see Matthew 6:25–34).
So, what are the things that we actually need that God promises to supply? I would suggest the following: physical provision for our bodies, love, guidance, security, purpose, and strength.
Since we are not only God’s creatures but also fallen into sin, this promise includes forgiveness, healing, and renewal.
We can be sure that God will supply all these things. The question is, do we trust Him? God doesn’t have to get any better at meeting our needs, but we need to grow in trusting Him to do so.
And what happens if we do? Two things.
First, when we lose a source of our provision, we won’t panic. If we lose our savings, we recognize that savings is just one way that God provides for our future needs. He has many others.
If someone doesn’t give us the love we need or rejects us, we can be OK. We know that God Himself is the ultimate source of love and care for us, not other people.
Second, we can give. One reason we don’t give is because we fear that our needs won’t be met. We might even think that God would withhold what we need if we give things away.
But it’s not true. The context of the promise in Philippians 4:19 is that God will provide what they need, so they can give. Here’s what we read elsewhere in the Bible:
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:6–8)
This principle indicates that the more we give, the more we can expect God to provide.
This is a hard lesson to learn. So how can we learn it? Here’s a few suggestions.
1. Take careful note of how God has provided for you in the past, especially when you weren’t expecting it.
2. Give beyond your comfort zone and see what happens.
3. Meditate on these truths regularly.
We do not have to let anxiety overtake us. “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). This is a firm rock on which our anxious souls can rest.