Rest and Reset: A 30-Day Devotional to Revive JoySample

God will provide

The fears of the 'what-if' can overwhelm you, leading you to make hasty, drastic decisions when you're under financial stress. So often, we focus solely on the provision that God has made—through the cross for our sin-sick souls, the armor that guards our Spirit from spiritual attacks, and the promised peace for our raging emotions and anxious thoughts about our future—but we don’t lean on God as much as we should when it comes to financial provision. God cares about your finances. God cares and will provide for all your needs. God cares for you.

In 1 Kings, chapter 17, the Lord instructed Elijah to journey to Zarephath. God had commanded a widow to sustain him for the next part of his journey. God had a two-fold plan in mind: He would store up provisions for Elijah and restore faith and stability to a widow and her son. When Elijah arrived at the gate of the city, he saw the woman there gathering sticks. He called her over to him and asked if she would fetch him some water in a vessel and a morsel of bread.'And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. '1 Kings 17:12 KJV. She was at the end of her resources and barely had enough for herself and her son. I wonder what tension she experienced internally as she vulnerably and honestly shared her plan. Widows not only experienced the shame of not having their husbands, but they were also ostracized in their society, often overlooked and mistreated. But God had seen that she was down to her last, and so he sent help.

Provision in our lives doesn’t always look like that. When you are struggling financially, your thoughts tend to lean more toward "I need more money" instead of "God, I need your provision." Promotions are good, as is an increase when it is gained in a holy manner and not from a posture of selfish ambition. But we must rely on God’s promise to us all—that He will supply all our needs according to His riches and glory. Yet, we must seek Him first. Seek the Lord before you jump to a dramatic conclusion, thinking it’s time to give up and plan your own faith funeral. A faith funeral is when you have come to the end of your resources and are too afraid to ask for more help, and too disillusioned to continue turning to God. So, you plan your exit strategy with your reasoning, hoping to end it all.

God provided for the widow of Zarephath, and He will provide for you. If you have not been a good steward over your money and resources, you may now be dealing with the residue of overspending. It is not too late to start again. Sit down with a financial advisor or godly counsel and create a plan for your finances. Learning to spend wisely is a spiritual discipline that prevents us from emotional spending or being so frugal that we don’t enjoy life at all. The Lord desires for you to live an abundant life. Abundance isn’t measured by the “how much” but by the wisdom in how you are distributing what you do have.

Continue to pray over your finances, give, and trust that God sees you. If you are at wit’s end, help is on the way. It may not come in the package you prayed for, but it will be just what you need to meet the need. Don’t let financial constraints steal your joy.

Be Encouraged.