He's All I Need

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

I remember that when I was a kid, I couldn't wait to grow up. For a kid, there's an attraction to the concept of the additional "freedom" that comes with being an adult. If you're an adult, you no doubt understand why I but the word freedom in quotation marks. That freedom comes with a much higher level of responsibility, and a requirement that you face the world on your own. No longer is there another person that stands between you and the trials that life throws at you. Now, you must face them yourself.

Because of that, I look back at that desire to grow up so quickly and marvel at the innocence and naivete of it. Becoming an adult proved to be nothing like what I expected. With that knowledge now in hand, I'd encourage any teenager reading this to enjoy your youth as the blessing from God that it is Once it's gone, you can't get it back.

Those first two paragraphs seem to paint a pretty dark picture of life, I know. The reason is, life can be a very dark thing. Just when you think you have everything planned, something unforeseen, and certainly unplanned and unwanted often comes into the picture. Life often feels like a battle in which you can't win for losing. I've been at that point. I've seen my world and the worlds of those I love turned completely upside-down. All of that said, however, I've also learned that life isn't hopeless There's always strength to be found if you know where to look.

Despite the difficulties involved in the responsibilities of adulthood, however, I've learned a lesson that more than makes up for all of that: I've learned from experience about the sufficiency of the grace of God. In truth, if not for the struggles of life, that's a lesson I might not have ever learned. The song in the video above is one that really didn't mean a lot to me as a child, but now it means the world to me. Now, it's one of my favorite songs to sing.

The details might be different, but I have a feeling that the essence of my life's story is very much like that of many of you reading this. I've been through a few of those things that I never thought I'd see happen. I've been through battles that were much too big for me to fight alone. I've fought through emotions that I didn't understand. And through all of that, I've become a stronger person. That strength has nothing to do with me, but with the fact that Jesus Christ is all I need.

When many people think about God providing their needs, they think of their physical needs. That's certainly a part of it, but there's much more to it than that. Jesus is my comfort. He eases my pain. Every time I find myself desiring something more than what the world can give, He fills that need. As the song says, He's my soul's inspiration and my heart's consolation. In fact, Jesus isn't just enough to satisfy my needs. He's more than enough.

Not only have I never gone without something I needed, but I've had a lot of extras in my life. God has given me opportunities to do things and experience things that, while not necessities have enriched my life and brought me joy. Writing blogs and books isn't needed to make life livable, but I enjoy them, and God has given me the chance to do that. Attending and writing about sporting events isn't a need, but God has given me that chance as well, and I draw enjoyment from that. I'm sure all of you could tell similar stories.

Yes, youth is a gift of God that most of us don't appreciate until it's too late, but at the root of it all, even the struggles that we face when we grow up are gifts as well. They teach us that Jesus is all we need. They teach us that He supplies our necessities and more. They teach us that He's all we need, and so much more. If I know anything, at the top of the list is the fact that Jesus is all-sufficient. He's my everything, and He's all I need.