Check Your Provider

When I went through Faith Church School of Ministry one of the biggest changes I went through might take you by surprise. My sense of fashion was completely revamped! I know that probably wasn't what you were expecting but let me explain.

See, before School of Ministry I used to ONLY wear basketball shorts and a t-shirt everywhere that I went. It was just what I was comfortable in coming from a xc runner background. During the course of the school year though, my classmates stayed on me about revamping my wardrobe and I reluctantly caved in.

At first I was hesitant but I quickly found out... They were ABSOLUTELY right!! I didn't realize the confidence boost you got from wearing nice clothes and having a decent haircut! I immediately started to feel better about myself which was a HUGE win for me! As winter drew close a knew the one jacket that I just HAD to have!

I had always wanted to have a leather jacket! When I was a kid I would see people wearing them and I always thought they were so cool. So I finally got my hands on a leather jacket and I think I wore it for a week straight (YIKES, right?). I LOVED it.

Now fast forward almost a whole year. I was watching "Camp Rock" with my girlfriend (reluctantly at first but it turns out I really liked it) and that's wear I saw it... A RED LEATHER JACKET! Beth saw my eyes light up and she knew that I was about to start my Search. I googled "red leather jacket" and my heart immediately sank. The cheaper ones started in the $100 range!

There was no way that I could afford that with a clear conscience. So I did something that when I'm thinking rationally I would NEVER do. I started going to store websites that I had never heard of. Sorry Amazon, you just aren't cutting it this time!

I searched and searched and searched until I finally found it. A maroon leather jacket for $43 on a website from China. "This is it!" I thought to myself as I looked at the many pictures that they had uploaded. This is exactly what I am looking for.

So I placed my order and I waited patiently.

The first bit of trouble I crossed was when it took THREE WEEKS to arrive! But for a jacket as cool as this it would be well worth the wait, right?

I took out my pocket knife and slowly cut the tape from the package, I didn't dare accidentally cut into what I had waited so long for. Finally the paper fell back and revealed my prize... and it felt like someone punched me in the gut.

What came out of the package wasn't at all what I ordered. I ordered a large and it fit more like a small! The seams looked like they were already falling apart and the pockets were so shallow you couldn't even put your hands in them! It was like a bad dream! To make matters worse I couldn't get in touch with the company to return the thing!

So what did I do wrong?

I went outside a trusted provider and tried to get what I want on my own!

Now I think about this in terms of my walk with Christ.

How many times have I done that to God? How many times have I tried to get what I want without relying on His guidance and His help? He is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider, but when we ask for something and He says "NO, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU!" we immediately start looking for ways to take matters into our own hands.

God has our best interest at heart and He never says no to what you want just to hurt you. He's trying to help you.

Sometimes what seems like God's rejection is actually His protection!

If there is anything you are praying for and waiting to receive, I want to give you some advice:

1. If it's not provided by God, then it's not good for you.

Anything you provide for yourself will spoil and fade

2. God will sometimes deny you what you WANT, but never what you NEED

Trust Him to decide when and how the provision comes!

God is Sovereign and He upholds this whole world with His hands. He can certainly do the same for you!

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Thank you, Ethan Corbett