But the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. There is no law against such things as these.
-Galatians 5:22-23 Good News Translation (GNT)
We're needy. We really are. Food, shelter, clothes, hygiene, a job, a family, a sense of belonging, a sense of self-worth, love, acceptance, value, skills...we need all of that. But that's how it's supposed to be. Just like babies are dependent on their parents for every single thing, Lord God wants us to be dependent on Him for our every need. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:25-34 that God feeds the birds and makes flowers beautiful, and He loves us so much more than them. "So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Our Heavenly Father desires to give us good gifts that will make us happy and enrich our lives.
Hmmm, there must be a 'catch' you think. Well, perhaps. Parents give good things to their children to encourage them to grow into good, accomplished, grateful, respectful adults. And God gives us good things to grow us into good, godly, humble, patient, loving and self-disciplined people. So the 'catch' is gradually changing the desires of our hearts to be more in line with His desires for us. If the desire of your heart is a new Porsche, I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for it to arrive. God isn't Santa Claus or a spiritual ATM. He gives you things that will develop you into the best person you can be. A young Pastor leading two small churches miles apart might be granted a new car, maybe, but a Porsche? Probably not. And if it's a Porsche you truly desire, don't be surprised to find God starting work on your generosity, pride and vanity. Perhaps a family in your neighborhood will lose their home to fire. God will be watching to see if He can trust you to share what you have with those less fortunate. Pretty soon, the desire of your heart will be to bless others in generous ways. You'll find yourself praying for others and denying your 'wants' in favor of your 'needs'. And that is when God can truly start blessing you. Imagine a stack of presents filled with Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faith, Humility and Self-Control! When you wear those into the office or to a family gathering, people will NOTICE. They'll want what you have. Those desires of your heart will point people to God...and to the greatest of all His wonderful gifts: Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for our eternal salvation! And this same sacrifice is what allows us to go straight to God, our 'Daddy,' just like little children, full of love and wonder, sitting at His feet, listening to His stories, desiring to be the person He already thinks we are, in an intimate bond of love. That relationship might be the best gift of all.
But when the right time finally came, God sent his own Son. He came as the son of a human mother and lived under the Jewish Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might become God's children. To show that you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who cries out, “Father, my Father.” So then, you are no longer a slave but a child. And since you are his child, God will give you all that he has for his children.
-Galatians 4:4-7 Good News Translation (GNT)
