When you are in the midst of financial difficulties, you can easily feel discouraged and experience momentary dejection. Many who are unemployed right now due to the worldwide shutdown may fear they’ll never find another job, but we need to remember this situation is temporary. Our hope is in God—He is our provider—in times like these we need to depend even more on His provision.
God’s Promises
I want to give you a list of Bible verses where God promises to meet our needs. These promises have conditions, of course; they’re given to those who faithfully love and serve Him. They tell us that God will make a way and He will provide for His own.
- The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want—Psalm 23:1.
- There is no want to those who fear Him. The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing—Psalm 34:9-10.
- No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly—Psalm 84:11
- I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread—Psalm 37:25.
- And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus—Philippians 4:19.
- Do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For…. your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you—Matthew 6:31-33.
- He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?—Romans 8:32
- God will provide—Genesis 22:8.
God’s Provision
These promises are reinforced by Bible stories teaching us how creatively and unfailingly God provides for us. When Israel needed bread in the wilderness, God sent manna from the heavenly bakeries. When water was scarce, the Lord provided rivers from a rock. When the widow’s pantry was exhausted, the Lord mysteriously replenished her flour and oil in 1 Kings 17. When Elijah needed food by the Brook Cherith, a squadron of ravens came bringing him bread and meat day and night. When Joseph and Mary needed emergency funds to flee to Egypt, the Magi arrived with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. When Peter needed to pay his taxes, Jesus sent a coin in the mouth of a fish. When thousands needed nourishment in the meadows of Galilee, Jesus fed them with a boy’s lunch.
God’s Peace
We have a God who has promised to meet our needs. If you’re anxious about how your needs are going to be met, let me offer some suggestions.
- Tell God about your needs, humbly and honestly. Make it a matter of earnest prayer.
- Read through the aforementioned list of verses with pen in hand, circling the verse or verses that most encourage you. Look up any passage you’ve circled and read the complete context. Then memorize the verse and claim it for yourself as an act of faith.
- Look out the window and see if you can detect a bird or a flower. Remember our Lord’s lesson in Matthew 6 about God’s care for them and remind yourself that you are worth far more than many sparrows.
- Find one thing you can do for encouragement. If you can possibly avoid it, don’t sit and worry. Remember: All discouragement is from the devil. Don’t grow weary in well-doing, but keep on knocking, asking, and seeking. Figure out what your next logical step is and take it even if it seems like a small one.
- Share God’s love with others. He is faithful to be with us through every high and low in life—let the testimony of your faith be seen by those around you.
Trust the Lord in all things and for all things, even when you’re experiencing financial stress. He will take your tears and toil and leave you with a testimony like that of the psalmist: I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.
God is our provider, our comfort, our strength—place your hope and trust in Him!
Dr. Jeremiah is the founder and host of Turning Point for God and senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon, California.
For more information on Turning Point, go to www.DavidJeremiah.org.