Friend, You Are Provided For

I could see in her eyes something was wrong.

After a few short sentences, tears began to form and it didn’t take long for a stream to cascade down her cheeks.

Inquiring further, I heard my friend’s words, and felt her heartache.

So much was wrong. One layer after another piled on top… losing a job, financial concerns, a seemingly empty marriage, a home in disarray, lack of real friendships. It was more than her heart could contain.

And so the tears.

Heartache combined with fears of the future, mixed with emptiness and a lack of security, blended with an absent support system can cause a downward spiral of hopelessness. Questions follow… “What’s going to happen to us?” “What am I going to do?”

I didn’t have the answers. My offer was an embrace.

The question I did have an answer to was,

“Will God take care of us?”

Oh, yes. Absolutely he will.

This friend loves Jesus, and I knew her faith was strong. I knew she had the answer already to this question, but when the bottom falls out of life, you sometimes need to hear another tell you truth and to tell you everything is going to be okay.

Even if right now it doesn’t look like it. Even if right now the only thing you can do is wait and trust and pray.

Maybe you can identify with this friend of mine. The bottom has fallen out, or is about to, and you don’t know what to do. Lately there’s more month than money, and you’re robbing Peter to pay Paul (so to speak). Your marriage consists of two people living in the same house, but are strangers more than spouses. You were laid off last week, and there’s no savings to pull from. You need a friend, but everyone is too busy.

I wish I could reach across the table and hold your hand, or extend to you an embrace, and tell you it’s okay to let the tears flow. To tell you I’ll walk with you through this valley. To tell you this stuff stinks and I’m sorry you’re dealing with it all. And to tell you, too, God hasn’t left you.

God is in this.

And He’s going to provide for you. He’s going to take care of you.

How do I know? Because I’ve seen it time and time again in my life and in the lives of others. God takes care of His own. He loves you and He’s not going to leave you.

And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

He’s going to take care of every need. Not just one or two… but every single one.

And this too…

“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.” Matthew 6:30-33

We may not know the “why” to these kinds of situations, but we know the “Who.” Talk to God as if you were sitting with a friend. He’ll never be too busy for you. Ask Him to help you, to guide you, to provide for you. He hears you and will answer.

You are provided for, even as you read these words.

He’s already working behind the scenes on your behalf.

I’m praying for you today, friend. If there’s something specific I can pray for, either share in the comments below, or send me a private message here.

You are loved.

Julie

 

 

It’s Day 17 of 31 Days #CelebratingWhoYouAre. Feel free to share these words with another who is near (or in) the place of hopelessness today. (Linking this post with Barbie and friends at Weekend Whispers.)