Discover whether you've been looking at provision the wrong way: the difference between provision and expectation
What does it mean when we say that what we have our eyes on is what we prosper in? The world, and unfortunately many churches too, say that if you believe you have something, then it is yours. If you believe that you are rich then so you should be. That's all fine, but is it Biblical?
Humanity has come to a place now where we can have it all: the house, the family, the career, ministry and financial abundance all whilst seemingly being in complete connection with the deepest parts of heaven.
Do you think: "I've done this and that for God, why hasn't He given me the husband He promised, or the house He told me I'll get"?
The belief that we can 'have it all' as Christians is not a Biblical truth, but a prosperity-gospel lie where man twisted the original truth of God in order to satisfy their own greed and vanity. We think, I've done this and that for God, why hasn't He given me the husband He promised, or the house He told me I'll get?
Don't get me wrong, the Lord can bless, provide and allow you to live in abundance. But that is His choice and it's in His timing. Churches nowadays have made us believe that if we ask for a job, we will receive it that same week, and not only will it be the job, but it'll will also be where we meet our spouse, where we get promoted the month after, and it will all be within three miles of your house. And if you DON'T receive it, then you didn't have enough faith.
To God, character, soul and heart matters more than what neighbourhood we live in or what job title we have.
I have no intention of saying that God cannot provide. He is a phenomenal father who knows how to take care of His children. But to Him, character, soul and heart matters more than what neighbourhood we live in, or what job title we have. As Psalm 49 states, all those things pass away anyway, so God is obviously more concerned with the eternal. If we allow Him, of course He loves taking part in every aspect of our lives. However, if living on less for a while will grow us in humility, in love and will transform our relationship with Him, He will much more likely allow that over our lives, than simply giving us the job, the car and the money we wished for like a genie, only to have us always be proud and self-centred individuals.
And don't just take it from me. Look at the Bible: John the Baptist, Paul, Peter, John. There are multitudes of people in the Bible who lived for Christ, who dedicated their entire being to serving Jesus and yet they lived on the mercy of others, from prison to prison, challenge after challenge. And even in the Old Testament, we find people who had wealth, or title, or seemingly everything, but would lose it because they were dedicated to the Lord: David, Job, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego, Isaiah.
Think about it: are your priorities the same as God's? Do you think He prioritises what you prioritise? If not, come today and ask Him to unite yours with His.
What we seem to forget is that blessing cannot be earned.
We've begun to believe that if we don't 'have it all', it's because we haven't done enough for the church, we don't have enough faith, or because we haven't evangelised to enough people. What we seem to forget is that blessing cannot be earned. God blesses us out of the goodness of His heart, and in order to reveal His glory through us, in order that He may receive the honour. And not because you've done so much to earn it. When we act that way, we're basically denying the power of the cross and the entire reason for Jesus.
Jesus died in order that we may live. In order that we may be saved, blessed and called children of God through Him. It was done so that no sacrifice, no act, nothing needs to be done again on our part to earn that salvation. Jesus did it for us. So when we behave as though God owes us for what we've done, we're saying Jesus' sacrifice wasn't enough.
God does reward and I don't deny that. But we should not follow Him because we know He is a rewarder. We should honour Him for who He is: for saving us, for His love and mercy, full stop. No other expectations. Even being alive and reading this shows His work in you. So how can we still say it's not enough and think we deserve more? When we are in need, Jesus tells us to ask and it will be given, but how He chooses to bless, when and why are His choices. He is God, not us.
So I encourage you today -- let's allow God to be God and let's trust His plans, and stop trying to take the reins. Let's lower down from our place of pride and entitlement and remember that Jesus is enough. This will show your reverence, love and fear to the Lord, and there is nothing He deserves more.