Written By: Caleb Bowen
Photo By: Brodie Turner
Take a moment to reflect: What do you possess? Do you have a lot, a little, or something in between? Are there things in your life you shouldn’t have? Can you discern what God has given you or provided? Are you waiting for God to provide something specific, or are you simply chasing material things?
Could it be that God has already provided, but you haven’t recognized it? Or perhaps you’re reluctant to see it. God is good and faithful, always providing for His people’s needs.
Matthew 6:28-29
“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet… Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”
So why do we feel the urge to amass possessions — the best surfboard, the coolest gadgets, and the fastest car? It’s time to shift our mindset from “more for me” to “does the Lord have need of it?” Ask yourself, can God use what I already have?
Think about that extra surfboard, extra skateboard, extra car, or whatever, sitting in your garage. You might have bought it to fix up and sell for a profit. I know I have plenty of those. But does God need me to sell any of those to meet a financial need? In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus told His disciples to untie a colt.
Luke 19:31
“The Lord has need of it.”
Imagine someone approaching you, pointing to your untouched surfboard, car, or skateboard, and saying, “The Lord has need of it.”Would you let it go? Would it matter if you never got it back? Or picture this: You’ve just finished renovating a special room in your house, and a group of thirteen people shows up, saying, “This is perfect for our gathering — it’s for God, don’t worry.” Would you open your home to them?
Stop waiting for something you think you need to grow. You likely already have what’s necessary but may not be willing to see it, or to surrender it to God for His purposes. Growth often begins when we let go and trust God’s guidance.
Consider Jesus’ life on earth.
Matthew 8:20
“Foxes have dens, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”
Jesus owned nothing material, not even a consistent place to sleep. Yet He had everything He needed: absolute faith as the Son of God, the love of the Father, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the full armor of God.
You, too, have access to the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:11). It’s ready for you to put on — you just need to dust it off and wear it. Keep it polished through daily surrender, as Jesus instructed.
Luke 9:23
“If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”
Everything you need is already within you — in your spirit, in your faith, and in the Word of God.