This is one of those sayings that we all know. And it seems innocuous (and true enough) as to not require much thought… until… You need him to provide, and he doesn’t. Then the mental storm begins. So, what is this really about?
Let’s go back a step.
Let’s remind ourselves of a time before humans:
God is the creator of the universe; of order, of action/reaction, of cause/effect, of truth, justice, and consequence. He is the source from which all things flow. And in a large system environment with innumerable parts of matter and physical actions creating reactions and effects with rippling consequences throughout. In this world, it’s easy to see how God is at the center of it all. Mathematically, it all fits together rather succintly and could (theoretically) be untangled in reverse to reveal its origins. So, did God provide the sun, soil, and rain for the plants to feed the animals, which in turn fed other animals, allowing them to die and become nutrients to feed more plants? All was provided for each, as it was needed. Were there other animals that starved, but still fulfilled their purpose as soil enrichment later? Also, yes. Did one animal eat the animal that was meant to do XYZ later, but then ultimately fulfill it another way? Sure. What about (for the non-Young Earthers) the asteroids that wiped out entire species or most life on Earth? Yep, because that is the truth of an ordered universe; asteroids hitting a populated planet is a natural consequence of this reality. Did God provide after? Clearly… because life (or more importantly, the universe) still exists. It may not have happened AS they wanted it, but it did happen.
This is point one of understanding the nature of the word “provide.” The provision isn’t what you “want” necessarily… but instead it is an acknowledgement that there is always more out there than you might see in front of you. It is also a reminder that what he “provides” may not be physical but spiritual, emotional, or relational. (And, as a sidenote: a reminder that the latter are what is TRULY important… Don’t believe me? Ask an Octogenarian.)
Now, we need to complicate it a bit by remembering (sometimes sadly)… that we do live in a world with humans (I know I joke about not liking humans… but generally speaking, I do… I mean, heck, I’ve even heard I am one.) And those humans have free will to complicate even the simplest of actions and reactions, which can cause chaos in this orderly universe. And yes, those actions and reactions also have consequences (both intended and unintended).
So, how does God provide in THIS type of chaos, if he isn’t “absolutely” in control of all possible outcomes?
(Before I answer that, I should acknowledge that a significant number of Christians believe in God’s plans, meaning “every action, every situation, every everything is God’s intention.” I’m not one of those, and maybe I’ll explain why later, but for now, just know that what follows comes more from this line of thinking here.)
I believe that just like in the first set of cases presented, God’s provision is given through his guidance, through his sharing of intuition and through his sharing of vision.
That’s not to say it’s not ALSO physical… but even the physical (and this is my own thinking, not even sure it’s Biblically sound) can be a result of someone ELSE having been inspired, advised, or guided to give, to take, to avoid, to act, to not act, etc.
So, God MAY “let” you win that big pitch. He MAY “give” you that big sports win. He MAY “change” your spouse’s mind about a big issue… He But… that could also be randomness hard at work. OR, it could be because you earned it… which leads me to the grand finale:
(I want to be careful with how I express the following statement becuase I do NOT want it to be misconstrued as you have to “earn” God’s provision… but if you pay attention to the nuance, you’ll see the difference.)
God asks for obedience to his laws. The Bible has been written as a guidebook for how to live, behave, and comport oneself. But to sum it up… God asks people to be faithful. But why? Because living your life faithfully, in accordance with his teachings, leads you to a place where you can most clearly hear and accept those insights, visions and values for yourself. After that… living in that faith will allow you to more successfully act toward that guidance.
So, let’s talk about this practically…
If you go into a job interview and you have not dressed up properly, not acted or spoken properly, you are not likely to get the job (provision). In that particular case, NOT getting the job is actually the expected outcome. If you have a history of acting poorly in certain situations because you lack self-control, it’s understandable why people stop inviting you to events. So then, why do people expect to act unbiblically, to treat others poorly, to be selfish in all ways, to speak immodestly, and to EXPECT to be blessed with a perfect spouse? And taking both of those further, let’s say you have a mentor for either of the above, and they tell you your mistakes, they are clear, they offer actionable next steps… It’s up to you to act on them and to bring those changes to life. So, not only must you listen, you must act. (Sounds a lot like Proverbs, if you ask me.)
The same happens with God’s provision. He WILL give you the food you need, the safety you need, the community you need, the truth you seek… BUT… you need to be willing to listen, trust, AND act on that guidance for His will to be done. And none of this is because God doesn’t WANT to give these blessings to you… but, because:
- How can you expect to hear God’s voice when you’re only invested in listening to yourself and not invested in listening to God?
- How can God trust you with a blessing if you don’t trust that he can give it to you?
- If God’s will is (partially) achieved through the human spirit, how can his will be done if you are not a willing vessel?
- How can you see God’s will if you’re only looking out for your own self-interest?
- How can you even acknowledge that a provision IS a provision when you consider anything less than a blessing… a curse. Sometimes the best provision IS less than you wanted.
Sure, God can (and will, if he so chooses… for reasons beyond our understanding) bless anyone for any and all reasons, regardless of deservedness or lack thereof. And he will provide… he will provide what you’ve opened the door for, or closed the door to.
One way or another, he will provide… the question is, are you living in such a way that you can hear what he’s offering, and you’re prepared to receive it? Or… not?