Wants vs Needs

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19 ESV)

Referenced Scripture: Philippians 4:19, Psalm 37:25

I recently was talking with a fellow Believer and noticed something very interesting that I too had found myself experiencing at one time in my life. The conversation was just your basic update on things nothing too deep but in that there is much you can capture if you listen. You could just hear the discontentment in their voice and how they wanted something different then the hand they had been dealt. Now don't get me wrong striving for something better is a good thing and even healthy to an extent. But when you begin complaining and murmuring more than you are thanking God for what you do have there may be a need to readjustment in your perspective.

The biggest one I hear is, "my job ________" (fill in the blank). I hear so many saying how miserable their job is or how bad life has become because of their job yet we fail to realize our needs are in fact being met just as God has promised to do for His people (see Psalm 37:25 & Philippians 4:19). I mean you look like you are eating well, most of us have a place to call a home and yes at least you do have a job. Our western culture has become so materialistic that if we don't have the latest and greatest handbag, gadget or respected and well-paid career then we see ourselves as the outcast of society. We tend to judge success or fulfillment by how easily things are obtained and if things aren't coming easy then God must be taking us through a valley. 

I have found myself in these so called "valleys" one time or another my own life. It would usually happen when I shifted my focus off of God and onto what others around me had or were doing. Then one day God very plainly spoke to me as I read through Philippians 4 verse 19 He said, "you see I am meeting your needs; you just have your wants confused with your needs." It was truly eye-opening and 100% true. I had become so focused on what I didn't have I began to completely overlook all that God was providing for me on a daily basis.

We can all end up here from time to time and honestly it just takes a shift in your perspective to see where we need to make some adjustments. First step is to see that there is an issue and get it right. My prayer went a bit like this, "God, I know you have provided so much for me and I am sorry for taking it for granted and taking my eyes off  of You. Truly You have had Your hand in my life and I can't being to thank You enough. Help me to see all that You provide for me every single day." Begin to look for the areas where God is consistently meeting your needs and don't get  your wants confused with your needs. When you break it down we as human beings have only a handful of life-sustaining actual needs everything else is just stuff we want.

Take Care & God Bless,

-E