By Andrea Goebel
God’s Way
As the airport shuttle pulled up to the terminal, we began unloading our luggage and dragging it to the curb. I counted more bags than people in my family and wondered how we were going to navigate this trip.
As we had prepared for our vacation, we had packed everything we thought we may need — and then some. Thanks to another suitcase, we had more space, so our extra items seemed like a good idea at the time.
Now, as we wrestled our heavy baggage up to the ticket counter, I wondered how we would fare during the rest of our trip.
One train, two taxis, a bus and three flights later, I decided that the next time we prepared for a trip, we would go through a strict purging process to ensure we only brought what was necessary.
We didn’t need all that excess.
Sometime during our preparations, I noticed I was packing out of the fear that I didn’t have enough. Enough clothes, enough shoes, enough of everything. This realization didn’t stop me from filling my bags; I thought more would be better. Yet, after watching my family strain under the weight of our suitcases, I realized it wasn’t.
How often in life do we think we need more than we have? Do we trust God to give us what we need?
When Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness, God promised, “I am going to rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion; thus will I test them, to see whether they follow my instructions or not” (Exodus 16:4).
God would ensure His people had sufficient food; they needed to obey and trust His promise. Moses warned, “‘Let no one leave any of (the bread) over until morning.’ But they did not listen to Moses, and some kept a part of it over until morning, and it became wormy and stank. Therefore Moses was angry with them” (19-20).
God’s people became slaves to the fear that He would not provide for them.
From the outside, it might look like they were trying to preserve perfectly good food. But in actuality, their disobedience revealed their distrust in God.
When God tells us something, we need to listen. Our minds cannot fathom His plans and His powers, and that is why we trust His promise in Psalm 46:11: “Be still and know that I am God!”
Surrendering our fears to God allows Him to provide for us in ways we never thought possible.
After our family returned from vacation, I reflected on the difference between more and enough. Having more of something doesn’t mean I will be happier; it just means I’ll have an excess amount.
However, having enough of something means I recognize what I do and don’t need. It means I’m content with what I have. It makes me realize that the things of this world do not fill my heart and soul: God does. Truly, He is all I need.