I want to be very practical today.
Let me tell you what is happening practically in my life because I have chosen to allow the Lord to minister to me every day, early in the morning, with His Shalom, His peace.
You remember what is written in Phil. 4:19, right? If not, let me quickly quote it for you:
“And my God will supply all your need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
How many times have I cried out to the Lord: “Lord, I don’t know what to do anymore! I am in debt and using up my last money here. Please help, Lord!”
That’s how I told one of my sons-in-law about this the other day.
It has been more than 30 years now that we as a family have trusted the Lord as our Total Provider! And every time I called, He “showed up” and rescued us and provided what we needed!
Yes, sometimes it wasn’t exactly how and when I wanted it! But He has never let us down! As that one TV commercial rightly says: If He doesn’t come to help today, it will truly be the first time!
Therefore, I praise the Lord for His faithfulness to His promises. But, please, can I ask you nicely: Don’t wait until you are deeply in debt before you grasp His promise there in Phil. 4:19 in faith!
Have you read what Paul really says to me and you in Philippians 4?
He is not just talking here about God who provides! He is talking about: “My God will …”!
See, this is the language of someone who has seen and experienced in his own life who and how his God is! That is why he also knows that it will come true in your life as His child!
You therefore do not have to wait until you are “rock bottom” before you can experience the full impact of the “shalom” side of this word of promise in your life!
I can tell you from my own shame and damage from so many times that I was so busy making plans and working my arms stumps to find a solution to my crisis or need myself. Yes, in the process, without always realizing it, I “forgot” about Phil. 4:19 as part of God’s “shalom” promise to my loved ones and me, because hear what it really says:
“And my God will supply all your need richly according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
So this word is not only meant for those “rock bottom” times! It is meant for every day! It is meant to be part of my everyday “reset” where I remind myself that the Lord is also with me and in me today and that His promises also apply to this day!
Therefore, since I started my day, every morning disciplined by deliberately grasping this promise, I discovered how this “peace”, peace of mind, calmness, began to envelop and change my heart, and how even the “rock bottom” times began to become less and less in my life!
I began to discover something of that contentment that Paul also speaks of here in Phil. 4, where one begins to discover that in the midst of those short-lived times of too little and not enough, one no longer becomes so anxious and can also experience God’s presence in and around you in those times.
Start building these kinds of faith disciplines into your life today.
If you don’t know exactly how, please ask! I would like to help you with that!