God Meets Our Needs
We live in a very materialistic world. We are constantly being inundated with advertising that subconsciously triggers our desire for what ever item is being displayed. One moment we could be completely content with our phone, but the second Apple releases their new design our old phone just isn't good enough. Or maybe our coveting goes deeper than that...maybe it surpasses the material level. Perhaps we tend to find ourselves wanting the life style of others. The grass is always greener isn't it? Or perhaps success is something we covet. We long to be acknowledged for our achievements and recognized for all the good we do. We may even choose our career based on how successful it will make us. All these things are most certainly not needs, they are simply the wrong places to be seeking fulfillment. This is not to say that God won't bless us with the desires we have, but He will always meet our needs.
The apostle Paul wrote about this whole topic in the book of Philippians. In chapter 4 it says, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength....And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus."
It is through our relationship with Christ that true contentment is found, not in iPhones, success, or lavish lifestyles. It is in Christ that we find fulfillment. God also promises us that when we have a need, a true need, He will meet it according to His glorious riches. That statement alone should be the promise we need to stop fretting and coveting. There is no need to fear if God will come through in providing. He will. There is no need to covet when God has amply supplied us with all we need.
This mindset is completely in contrast to "The American Dream" that we are accustomed to. Rather then putting hope, success, and fulfillment in the works of man, it places them in the Lord. Here's a new concept for you: "The Christian Dream"-The notion that God ALONE provides us with everything we need, no matter who we are or where we live. That is not even a dream, that is a reality. It won't fade and it will never die. It's the Lord's promise that will stand forever.
