Provisions

I heard a message last weekend and in part of it, the pastor mentioned God's provisions. He spoke of how God made provisions for us. When I sit and think of this I am amazed.

A provision is an act of providing or supplying things we need. This can be food, clothes, shelter, water, etc. This does not mean things we want. No where does God ever say he will provide our wants. He gives us blessings,  but I've found the blessings I receive usually aren't materialistic.

So what would a provision for me look like? Well......I think of what I need to live. I need water, food, and clothes. I need strength to do my job to make money for my family. I need not to be too sick so I can go to work. I need transportation to get to my job. I need food to pack for my lunch each shift. I need money to pay bills.
I could go on and on about my needs. Each of us have different needs. Maybe your kids are small and you need daycare or a babysitter to watch them while you go to work. Maybe you have an elderly parent living with you that you need strength to help each day. Maybe you need direction and guidance. Maybe you just need someone to come alongside and relate to what you are going through. Each of us are different in what we need each day.

One thing I've come to realize and get great strength from is the fact God has full control over the universe.....including what we go through or don't go through. Once I realized rhis, my need to worry over things was gone. I don't need to worry how I will get food or water each day.....God already has it figured out for me. When someone talks to me in a not so nice way......God knew that and made a way for me to handle it. When I need to get to work on time.....God allows me to wake up and get ready so I'm on time for my shift. All our day he's paved the way. He's ahead of us clearing the path. He's beside us walking with us. He's blind us to catch us when we need him to carry us along. He's made provisions. Nothing that comes to us In a days time is beyond what he doesn't have control of.

Now some people would say that satan can control things too and have his way with us. I agree with this to a point. When I come into hard situations, I need to look at it. Did I sin and cause this situation? Di I react properly to it? If I didn't I need to ask God to help and forgive me. Sometimes what we go through and what we allow will continue. Sometimes the hard time we are dealing with is a result of our own desires and not Gods.....so he needs to rein us back in.
Back to what I was saying......when things happen that aren't so good, I try to look at it as my God is just reminding me he is still there. Sometimes I forget that and go about my own way......but when the trials come, he uses them to remind me he hasn't gone anywhere and I need to come back to him. I don't believe in saying "satan is attacking me" because I feel that we are giving glory to him and not to God. God uses all kinds of situations to draw us to himself and make us more like Jesus. His provisions for us are perfect.....even if we don't agree....they still are perfect. Who am I to question a holy God for what happens in my life when all over the Bible we are told to trust and obey......and all things work for good for those who are called. How can we not have peace in the provisions he has made for us? I spent too much of my life worrying about things that never came into existence. I now trust that someone way bigger and more powerful than me can handle all I need to go through. For that peace in my life.....I am forever grateful.