What Do You Need From God?

I read a little saying, "God doesn't give you what you want; he gives you what you need."

I've found this to be true in my life and in the lives of my family. Sometimes what we think we need is only a want. This is where God's wisdom comes in.

Example,Me:

I wanted a romantic husband. I thought marriage would be like the TV series and movies. Everyone is happy and the kids are wonderful.

God gave me a husband who has not a romantic bone in his body. He feels uncomfortable sharing his feelings. He is not a soft-spoken guy who whispers sweet words into my ears.

We are now in our sixties and I know why God gave me my husband. He is strong in many ways; in the ways I am not strong, strong in faith and character. He helps me be strong when I need to be. He understands my mental illness and reminds me how I can feel better. I see problems as disasters; he sees problems as something that can be solved or not solved. If you can't solve them, just pray and give it all to God. He is just who I need at this stage of my life. Thank you God.

My sister used to have a great job, own a house, new car and a motorcycle. Then she got sick with arthritis, chronic fatigue and terrible allergies. She finally had to quit working and sell everything. She then moved to Nevada. She thought she could get disability from social security but they turned her down. She went to a government work program and they got her a job with heavy lifting. They told her to get a paper route. She couldn't do any of that. Eventually, she was homeless.

My sister lived with us for two years but kept getting sicker and sicker until she could not leave the bed. We studied her allergies and mine and found out we both had terrible reactions to histamines, not only in pollen but in foods. We went on an anti-histamine diet and both got a bit better. But she was still much more ill than me.

She decided she had to get away from the tons of allergens in our part of the country and moved to Washington State in her van. It is the best state to live in for allergies. She slowly got her strength back and is able to go shopping and to appointments. She is still very weak, but at least she can get out of bed for part of the day.

Now the big lesson is this: She had been very angry at God for letting her get sick and lose everything she owned but her van. She couldn't understand why he would let it happen. But, since moving to Washington, she has made good friends with other homeless people. She has given Bibles away and had Bible studies with some of them. She has found she loves living in her van in state parks. The family sends her money, but we can't send enough to pay rent and utilities for her. The strange thing is that she said, "This is the happiest I've been in my life."

She thought she needed money, a job and a home; God saw she could work for him with the homeless and be terrifically happy! Who knew? Certainly not her, not me and not my mother!

So, whatever your situation, trust in God because he does know what you need.