God’s Promise and Scripture

God’s Promise: He will supply all our needs

Scripture: But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33) And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

Devotional

For most of my life, I believed that my worth depended on my success. Baseball was my world for over twenty years, and everything revolved around performance, proving myself, earning approval, and avoiding failure. The fear of failing pushed me, but it also chained me. I thought that if I just worked harder, stayed in control, and stayed strong, I’d finally have peace. What I didn’t realize was that I was chasing satisfaction in things that could never truly supply what I needed.

When I wasn’t as successful as others, the weight of life grew heavier. After an injury, I developed a dependence on prescribed pain medication, which quickly opened the door to drinking and drugs. My anger and pride grew, and I kept trying to grip tighter to control the outcome, to fill the emptiness. But the harder I tried to supply my own needs, the further I ran from Christ.

The word “submit” was foreign to me and appeared as a weak term. There was no need to submit, I just needed to work harder and outdo the next person. Pride convinced me that my way was the best way, and that I didn’t need help from anyone, let alone God. Submission felt like defeat, but what I didn’t understand was that it was actually the gateway to freedom.

Eventually, as an adult, I thought I had “made it.” I had a successful career, a loving wife, financial comfort, and more than most around me. I told myself I was fulfilled, but deep down I was restless. I was distracted by my own supply, always wanting more, always comparing. No matter what I achieved, it was never enough.

Yet even in my rebellion, God was still providing. He didn’t give me what I wanted - He gave me what I needed. He placed godly people in my life who showed me His love in tangible ways. He gave me my wife, Grethel, and our children, who became living reminders of His grace and mercy. Through them, He revealed that His love isn’t conditional. It’s not something to be earned or performed for, it’s freely given, undeserved, and unending.

When I finally surrendered my life to Jesus, everything changed. I felt His embrace and the weight of years of fear and pride lift. For the first time, I understood that He wasn’t asking me to prove anything. He was asking me to trust Him. After all those years of striving, I realized that only He could truly supply my needs.

When I read, “Seek first the kingdom of God…” (Matthew 6:33), I no longer hear, “Get your life in order, then seek Me.” I hear Jesus saying, “Seek Me first, and I will take care of the rest.” And when Paul writes, “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19), I know it’s not a promise of comfort or success, it’s a promise of His presence, His peace, and His provision that never runs dry.

Our lives aren’t meant to be comfortable in the worldly sense. True peace isn’t found in holding tighter to our desires but in surrendering to Him who provides what we truly need. God’s supply doesn’t always come in the form we expect, and it often comes through the lessons, the losses, and the waiting. But His timing is perfect, and His provision is always enough.

Today, I am proud to live in submission to Christ. That word “submit” no longer feels weak - it feels freeing. When our identity is rooted in Christ, we can release the need for control and live with confidence in Him. We are no longer striving for approval; we are living from acceptance. The world tells us to strive, but Jesus tells us to seek. And when we seek Him first, He truly supplies every need.

Reflection Questions:

1. In what areas of your life are you still trying to “supply your own needs” instead of trusting God to provide?

2. How does your view of submission change when you see it not as weakness, but as freedom through dependence on Christ?

3. What might it look like this week to “seek first the Kingdom of God” in your work, relationships or personal goals?