One of the hardest things about this summer has been that we are living in fast forward. There is always, always, always something to do. The work is NEVER done. Now I know many of us live this way all the time, but we have truly taken it to the next level this summer.
For me, living in fast forward is difficult because I do not have time to process. I am a fairly introspective individual. I like to have the time to mill things over in my mind, pray things over in my heart, and eventually "get it." Writing often helps me process, and there has definitely not been much time to write.
So, all summer I have continued to wrestle with the same idea. I wrote about it once, here.
The basic premise is simple. The Bible says, "My God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19. But does He?
I see kids ALL the time that are not (in my estimation) having all their needs met. Some are hungry. Some are dirty. Some are starving for love, attention, security. To me, their needs are NOT being met.
My definition of "needs" was probably formed in early elementary school. I was taught that our basic needs are food, clothing, water, and shelter. But what does God see our needs as?
I have gone round and round and round with these questions all summer. While my trust that the Bible is truth, has not faltered. My heart has cried to understand that truth more fully.
I do not have it all figured out yet, but this week several very simple thoughts have started to help me reconcile.
I was telling Chad how I continued to be bugged by that verse. He replied, "Alicia the needs you are thinking of just keep our bodies alive longer."
That made my mental light bulb flicker. He was right. God is not worried about our preserving our physical bodies nearly so much as preserving our souls. Our TRUE need is to know Him for eternity.
Hmmmmm. . . . .
Then as I was rereading Kisses From Katie, I noticed these words "Matthew 10:28 tells us not to fear things that can destroy the body but things that can destroy the soul."
Hmmmmmm. . . .
I can not say that my understanding is crystal clear. My understanding remains a bit blurry. It may always be. Yet, I love that as we question and seek, God reveals His heart.
So I will continue to question and seek, because the desire of my heart is to know His.
