What we need

"Thank You for being the God You are, the God we need, not the God we want You to be."

The above words popped into my head a couple days ago. Sometimes when we take things into our own hands, thinking that our way is best, it doesn't end too well. You can apply that to many aspects of life, spiritual or otherwise. But as I sit here it occurs to me that so often we want God to do something our way, to give us what we think is best, to show up and act the way we feel he should, and to approve our choices and decisions while disregarding the fact that he may have another idea. I stand in awe that God does not bend to our every whim but is steadfast and intelligent enough to know what is truly best for us. Although that can be pretty hard to see sometimes. What is best for us, what we truly need, usually can seem like terrible medicine. And maybe it takes a while to see the effects.

Some would say that it is obvious that a Being as great and other-worldly as God would be set apart from us and capable of things far beyond our ability to grasp and comprehend. And yet I find over and over again that this God who could form the heavens actually takes an interest in our lives here on this bit of rock floating through space. He concerns himself with our endeavors and cares about our problems. Jesus spoke about telling God the things that you need, the problems you face, the worries that consume you, and he would handle them. Maybe not how we would have thought, maybe not how we would have at all; but the important part is that God supplies our needs.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” – Philippians 4:19-20

So many times we want God to do something, to act a certain way, to intervene at a certain point. And then we get discouraged when he doesn't. We get frustrated when it seems like things are crashing down around us. Or when the timing isn't right. Or when things happen that we thought he could prevent or fix. May we take comfort and, more importantly, hope, in the promise that he may not be predictable, but he will be there for us and he will act according to his timing and his purpose.