Increasing our Confidence in God as our Provider

In this new season of my life, knowing God more intimately as my provider has been important. While reading and researching, the following verses got my attention. because of the phrase “everything belongs to you.” That phrase is repeated twice which often indicates a special emphasis. Check it out:

“So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you— whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.” 1 Corinthians 3:21-23 NLT (emphasis mine)

Other translations say, “all things” in place of “everything.”

Matthew Henry Commentary on these verses helps us grasp the meaning with these words: “If we belong to Christ, and are true to him, all good belongs to us, and is sure to us … God in Christ, reconciling a sinful world to himself, and pouring the riches of his grace on a reconciled world, is the sum and substance of the gospel.” (emphasis mine)

This is remarkable! The Creator of Life redeemed our lives and has guaranteed our access to His wealth and resources. In John 10:10, Jesus specifically tells us that a thief would come to steal from us, but He came to triumph over that enemy to ensure an abundant life for us. In this declaration of this truth, I hear the Old Testament verse beckoning us to “choose life,” to choose Him and all that would mean for us.

This is a BIG topic and I absolutely DO NOT have all the answers. I really have so many questions. In my research, I discovered the verses below all pointing to the same truth. (emphasis is mine)

Romans 8:32 – Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?

Psalm 84:11 – For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.

1 Timothy 6:17 – Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.

Proverbs 10:3 – The LORD will not let the godly go hungry, but he refuses to satisfy the craving of the wicked.

Psalm 34:9-10 – Fear the LORD, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need. Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing.

Psalm 37:25 – Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread.

Did you notice the reoccurring emphasis of godliness repeated throughout these verses? That is obviously a critical factor for us to consider.

I hope the repetition of this promise of provision throughout the Bible encourages you like it does me. It is a challenging idea because the thief bombards our minds with thoughts that lead to the fear of not having what we need. When we react to that fear, we get ourselves into trouble.

What if our faith grew to meet this amazing promise of God? I believe we would experience much more freedom and spend more of our lives in awe of God.

What do you need?

Wisdom, hope, comfort, financial help, courage, a faithful friend, the ability to forgive, more faith, healing, joy, brilliant ideas, humility, peace, success, the desire to obey Him, favor, new strength?

Maybe His plan for our lives requires us to ask Him for more than we are currently asking for. Maybe we should be asking for something different. I am comforted by the reality that we can ask Him for wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him which includes the knowledge of His role as provider and what He wants to provide.

It is very easy to look at someone else’s life and assume that what God has provided for them should also be ours. Each of us has a unique journey with God and a specific purpose in His kingdom. We will have needs others will not have. I am learning that God will help me pray for what He wants to give me. I want to get really good at hearing the Holy Spirit’s prayer prompts and praying them back to God.

What if we ask for something the Lord doesn’t want us to have? I believe He will gladly correct us and redirect us. We need to keep asking God questions – to keep seeking His will for our lives. I believe God can simultaneously grow our faith and challenge any ungodly motives we might be dealing with. I believe He is doing that for me right now.

There are many facets to this topic I am not covering in this one post. One of which is “waiting” for God’s provision. We know Job waited while he experienced more pain and losses than we can imagine. But we surely can relate to his pain and the waiting. He had not failed to live righteously. The thief was allowed to steal. Then God triumphed over all that grief and pain by restoring to him double what he had lost. In this world, we will suffer. We will wait. And He will restore.

Please study this topic out for yourself. I’m not an expert. I am merely a fellow seeker of His best.

Let’s pray about it.

Here’s a prayer we can use to jumpstart our conversation with God:

God,

I stand before You amazed by Your generosity to me. Your Word tells me that You freely give all things to Your family. I am honestly trying to wrap my head around the idea. But, how could it be untrue? You did not spare Your own Son. You gave Him up as a sacrifice, a payment to redeem our unworthiness. You made a way for us to enjoy Your love forever. What wouldn’t You provide for me? Hallelujah!( 1 Corinthians 3:21-23; Romans 8:32)

I have entertained so many fearful thoughts. I have worried about going without ________, _________, and __________. Please forgive me for not comprehending Your goodness towards Your own family. Please forgive me for my lack of faith in Your promise to provide for me when I choose to live for You. (Psalm 34:9-10)

Take me by the hand and teach me to trust You as my Provider. Scrub my heart and soul clean of this fear of living without what is needed. Increase my faith so I will trust in You for my daily bread. I am a willing vessel, humbled by Your generosity towards me. I want to live expecting Your grace and Your glory. (Matthew 6:11; Psalm 84:11)