What You Need

Friday - June 4th

Scripture to Read Today: Daniel 1:11-17

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The lions may grow weak and hungry,

but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Psalm 34:10

Have you ever noticed that life can be hard? Just after you navigate one challenge, another one enters your world. The longer you live, the more you understand life has its incredible highs and its horrible lows. Just the journey through the twists and turns and the ups and downs of life can leave you weary. From time to time, there are those huge victories that cause your spirit to soar. Of course, life also includes the seismic disruptions from which you feel at first you will never recover.

It baffles me how those who do not know Christ cope with the extremes life throws at us. As I have walked with Jesus over the years and through times of sorrow and times of happiness, God in His goodness has given me what I needed just when I needed it. Often that meant financial resources to pay an unexpected bill. Sometimes it meant the physical strength to get through the day when I had gotten little sleep the night before. On several occasions, it was a kind word or an encouraging card, email, or text from someone who had no idea I was going through a challenging season.

God knows what we need, how we need it, and when we need it most. He shows up in little ways when we least expect it. God has never failed to give me what I needed - though He may not always give us what we wanted.

Daniel and his three friends were taken from Judah and transported to Babylon as captives of the king. The king of the Babylonians educated them in the ways of his people. He expected them to spend the rest of their lives in service to him as advisors. All of life ahead for them was unknown, uncertain, and unwanted.

God met them in that moment. He made sure that they lacked nothing. He had a plan to use them for His glory as they served King Nebuchadnezzar.

They may have wanted to go home, freedom to live outside the king's government, or some other practical gift from God. According to Daniel 1:17, God chose to give them special abilities in terms of wisdom and understanding - in Daniel's case, that would include the ability to interpret dreams. Maybe they wanted other things, but God gave them what they needed.

Are you going through a high point or a challenging time that causes you to want something from God in this season? Ask God to give you what you need, not what you want. He will provide you with what you need right now in your situation. He may choose to leave you in the circumstances you are in, but remember the promise found in Psalm 34:10, "those who seek the LORD lack no good thing."

Receive with an open heart what God provides you. He will give you what you need - not necessarily what you want.