Though this phrase is easy to understand, it is difficult to live out in our lives sometimes.  Life’s rush causes a push and pull that leaves us exhausted and longing for a few quiet minutes to regroup our thoughts.  Every day overwhelming needs surround us.  Some people need finances to pay bills.  Others need a listening ear and wise advice for a personal problem.  Some need time to run all the errands, do chores/housekeeping, and take care of all their responsibilities.  Many of us need energy and strength to do all the activities for us and our families.  The needs are endless and stressful.  It’s easy to focus on the crisis situation in front of us, but it will only send us down into a pit of despair that is hard to escape.

When we feel ourselves tumbling into this vortex, let’s back up and take a minute to gather perspective.  No matter what the need or problem, we have a God that is more than able to provide for us.  He has promised this and He doesn’t go back on His promises.

When all we want to do is pull our hair out and scream, let’s silent our souls and pray.  As we seek God and His view on the situation, our hearts can be calmed by the reassurance that He is in control of our lives and the universe.  We should humbly present our needs and ask for His intervention.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  Matthew 6:33

God will provide in our time of need.  His storehouses are abundant.  His knowledge is vast.  His plan is perfect.  He looks after His children and supplies their needs.  And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:19

Some times we may not see the need met immediately, but we must have faith that He knows all.  He knows the perfect time to meet our need and won’t do it a minute sooner or later.  God’s timetable doesn’t always look like ours, but His is flawless.  The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.  2 Peter 3:9

Once we see how God provides for us, we need to thank Him and acknowledge His greatness.  Answered prayers build a trust with our Savior like nothing else can.  It is amazing to see how the Creator of the Universe cares so much for His children.  He always has a special way and special timing that convinces us that it could only be our Father God.  His marvelous ways are too great for our understanding.  When we see how He miraculously provides time after time in the midst of despair and hopelessness, we can easily trust that He is working all things out for good.  Our trust in Him grows into an unshakable faith.  The faith that God provides will help us in future storms and obstacles of life.  The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.  Psalm 18:2

We have seen God provide antibiotics to treat infections when we had none on the shelves.  We’ve witnessed a truckload of infant formula delivered to us when we only a one day supply left.  He’s provided random visitors stopping by with suitcases of cloth diapers and clothes when we had next to nothing.  We have had the energy and strength to provide care for months at a time with only 2-3 hrs sleep each night.  We have seen doctors and hospitals give up on sick children and send them home to die only to see God heal and restore them.  There have been people that felt an urge to pray for us and later we find out that it was at critical time when we really needed it.  In the 20 years that we’ve been in Haiti, God has never left us hanging.  He has always, always, always provided the perfect thing at the perfect time.  The fuel that we have right now won’t be enough to run the generators for electricity for another week.  The infant formula will be out in 15 days.  Most of the staff have lingering joint pain from chikungunya and are moving slow.  Our dear friend and her baby (born 2 months early) are fighting for their lives in a Port-au-Prince hospital.  We don’t know what this week will hold, but we do know one thing — God is with us and He will provide in beautiful, miraculous ways to show us that He loves us and He’s in control.

God will provide.  He’ll never let us down.