Posted on by jwlozano

What Do We Really Need?

One of the most quoted verses in the entire book of Philippians is found near the very end.

“And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

It’s one of those verses we love to encourage people with. Someone loses a job. Someone is struggling financially. Someone doesn’t know how they’re going to pay the bills. We quickly remind them, “God will supply all your needs.”

And He absolutely will.

But this week, as I slowly worked through Philippians chapter four, I noticed something I had overlooked before. Paul didn’t write those words in isolation. He wrote them after thanking the Philippian church for their incredible generosity.

Throughout the chapter, Paul reminds them that they had cared for him when others didn’t. They had supported his ministry. They had sacrificially given to meet his needs. They had sent gifts through Epaphroditus because they cared more about God’s work than simply holding on to what they had.

Paul even says that their gifts were “a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God.”

Then comes verse 19.

“My God shall supply all your needs…”

In other words, Paul is reminding generous believers that the God they had trusted with their own resources would also faithfully care for them. It’s not a random promise disconnected from the surrounding passage. It’s part of a conversation about generosity, trust, and God’s faithful provision.

That reminded me of another passage I’ve been thinking about lately.

In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus tells His followers not to worry about what they will eat, what they will drink, or what they will wear. He points to the birds. He points to the flowers. If God faithfully takes care of His creation, how much more will He care for His children? Then Jesus says,

“Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

I circled the words “these things” in my Bible this week.

What are “these things”?

Food. Clothing. Daily provision.

Jesus wasn’t promising unlimited comfort or every luxury we could imagine. He was promising that our heavenly Father knows exactly what we need. That’s an important distinction. Somewhere along the way, we’ve started confusing needs with wants. Our culture is constantly telling us we need more.

Your car is working just fine?

You need a newer one.

Your house comfortably fits your family?

You need something bigger.

Your phone is only two years old?

Time for an upgrade.

Every advertisement whispers the same message:

“What you have isn’t enough.”

But when we stop and honestly make a list of our true needs, it isn’t nearly as long as we think.

We need Jesus.

We need forgiveness.

We need food.

We need shelter.

We need clothing.

We need people who love us.

We need the strength to do what God has called us to do.

Everything else may be a blessing, but it isn’t necessarily a need. I think that’s why contentment can be so difficult. When we convince ourselves that our wants are actually needs, we’ll constantly feel like God is withholding something from us. But when we recognize how much He has already provided, gratitude begins to replace disappointment.

I also thought about another verse people often quote:

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)

When I was younger, I tended to read that as God giving me everything I wanted. The older I get, the more I believe something even better happens. As I delight myself in Him, He begins changing what I desire. The closer my heart grows to His, the more my desires begin to look like His desires. That’s a much greater gift than simply getting everything I ask for.

As we finish our study through Philippians, I think that’s one of the biggest lessons Paul leaves us with.

Contentment doesn’t come from having more.

It comes from trusting the One who already knows exactly what we need. The greatest proof that God is willing to provide wasn’t a paycheck, a promotion, or even answered prayer. It was the cross. Before we ever asked Him for anything, He gave us His Son. If God was willing to meet our greatest need through Jesus Christ, we can trust Him with every other need that comes our way.

That doesn’t mean life will always be easy. Sometimes we really do face genuine needs. Health concerns. Financial hardships. Seasons where we don’t know how everything is going to work out. Those moments are real. But they don’t change God’s character. Our Father knows what we need before we even ask. He invites us to seek His kingdom first, trust His heart, and rest in the promise that He will faithfully provide exactly what His children need.

Maybe today, instead of focusing on what you wish you had, spend a few moments thanking God for what He’s already provided. You may discover that you’ve been surrounded by His provision all along.

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Posted on by jwlozano

Learning to Rest

This week’s blog is coming out a little later than usual because I just returned from a family vacation in Hawaii. Between the travel and the five hour time difference, my body is still adjusting back to Wisconsin time.

Our trip was incredible. Everywhere I looked, I was reminded of God’s creativity. The variety of plants, the beauty of the ocean, the mountains, the wildlife, it all pointed back to the Creator. God didn’t have to make the world so beautiful. He could have created one type of tree, one type of flower, and called it done. Instead, He filled the earth with incredible variety for us to enjoy. As I reflected on that throughout the week, I was reminded of how good and generous He is.

But this post isn’t really about Hawaii. It’s about something the vacation reminded me of, the importance of rest. I want to spend some time talking about a subject that is very important to me, the Sabbath.

My family and I have always tried to be intentional about setting aside a day for worship, family, and rest. We attend church on Sundays, spend time together, and are careful not to fill the day with endless errands and activities. It’s a habit I’ve let slip in some ways recently, especially when it comes to putting my phone aside, but it remains one of the healthiest rhythms in my life.

What I love about the Sabbath is that God Himself established the pattern. After creating the heavens and the earth, He worked for six days and rested on the seventh. Later, when He provided manna for the Israelites in the wilderness, they gathered it for six days, but on the seventh day there was none. God was teaching His people to trust Him enough to rest.

I’ve seen that principle at work in my own life.

During the pandemic, I began selling handmade masks through my Etsy shop. Orders poured in, and I found myself working 14 to 16 hour days just to keep up. I was constantly tempted to work on Sundays so I could get ahead. But I made the decision to continue honoring the Sabbath.

Looking back, I truly believe that weekly day of rest is what sustained me through that season. By stopping, worshiping, and trusting God instead of striving, I found the strength I needed for the days ahead.

I think one reason so many people feel exhausted today is because we never stop. For many of us, Monday through Friday is spent working. Saturday becomes the day to catch up on chores and responsibilities. Then Sunday becomes the day we spend preparing to do it all over again. We keep moving, but we never truly rest.

Yet I believe God offers us a better pattern.

There is an old saying, “The devil never takes a day off.” But I’ve heard someone respond, “God rested one day a week, so who are you trying to imitate?”

I’ve always found that thought provoking because Scripture calls us to be imitators of God. God modeled rest for us. He knows we are not designed to run endlessly without stopping. It was never His intention for us to live overwhelmed, anxious, and exhausted every day of the week.

Jesus said in Matthew 11 that those who are weary and burdened can come to Him and find rest. I believe that honoring the Sabbath is one practical way we do exactly that. We come to God and say, “Lord, I know there is still work to be done, but I’m trusting You enough to stop. I’m trusting You to provide what I need.”

We often quote Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Usually we think about material provision when we read that verse, but I believe rest is part of God’s provision too. When we seek His ways first, He gives us what we need, including peace, strength, joy, and rest.

So if you’ve never practiced a Sabbath before, I’d like to challenge you this week to give it a try. Set aside a day to truly rest. Spend time with God. Put aside the endless to do list. Trust Him with the things that will still be waiting tomorrow.

For me, that day is Sunday. For you, it may be another day depending on your schedule. The specific day matters less than the intentional choice to stop, rest, and trust God.

You might be surprised by how much you need it.