Everything You Need

 We are on a constant search for what we think we need. One day, we think we need one thing, but the next day we think we need something else. We run here and there, seeking to make money, to have stuff that will make our life easier, and simply to find the necessities of life like food and shelter. Many of us are never satisfied in our search, so that we are never content with what we have. That is a terrible way to live. God never intended for us to live like that. Hosea prophesied of a time when Ephraim, which is the same as Israel, would finish following false gods. Then, they would realize He was the One who answers them and satisfies them. (Hosea 14:8) He would be like a luxuriant fruit tree, and everything they needed would be found in Him. The great news is that God is waiting for us to turn to Him to give us everything we need right now, too.

Chasing false gods and idols is a worthless waste of time and energy. As I have said so often, an idol is anything that takes us away from depending fully on God. It is anything that takes up our time and energy and money in our pursuit of it, whether it is fame, wealth, sports, recreation, materialism, or mysticism. When we go after these things, we think we will be happy and have what will satisfy us, but it won't. Only God knows us. Only God knows what we need. Only God knows how to meet those needs in exactly the right way. We will only be content, when we allow God to meet our needs in His way, and we are content in what He gives us. If we will do this, we will find that life is so mush better and less stressful. It is so much simpler than what others around us are experiencing. It is the abundant life in Christ that God wants for every one of us. Try it. You'll like it.

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Tomorrow, I intend to read Joel 1-3.