He Provides Exactly What You Need (and Leaves out the Rest)
Series: 4 Important Lessons on God’s Provision
Devotional: 3 of 4
And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.”
Genesis 2:16-17
The things that God provides for us are exactly what we need to thrive. Not only does God provide for us exactly what we need, but he leaves out the things that will surely lead to darkness.
Take for example Adam and Eve – they were given an abundance of good food to choose from in the garden God placed them in. God warned them not to eat from one of the (probably) thousands of other trees available. They made a choice and decided that the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was what they needed.
How many times do we act in a similar fashion? God meets our daily needs, and yet the world tempts us with something that God left out of his provision to us. Even though our needs have been met, we are seduced by all that we lack and then question why God isn’t giving us more!
God warns us that focusing on material possessions will surely lead to darkness and destruction in our own lives, just as he warned Adam and Eve not to eat from the one single tree.
Let us not ruminate on the things we lack, but rather give thanks for God’s continued faithfulness. He knows you so deeply and understands your specific needs and blesses you with those exact things each and every day.
Katie Jones
Reflection Questions
- When have you let your own understanding of your needs keep you from trusting God to provide for you?
- Is there something you are currently chasing after that you have determined is a need – but maybe it really isn’t?
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