God Gives You What You Need

There’s a classic song from 1969 written and performed by the Rolling Stones. The chorus goes like this:

No, you can't always get what you want

You can't always get what you want

You can't always get what you want

But if you try sometimes, you might find

You get what you need

I found out I am a dog person later in life. My wife Cindy's mom was in assisted living at Fairwinds in Redmond and Cindy thought mom needed a dog for a companion. Well, we ended up with the dog. Our kids Lars and Berit both got to pick a name, so her name is a combo - Puppy Lily.

Lily is part poodle. Her eyes drain out the inner eye corners. This creates "eye crusties" in her fur. In the mornings she rubs her face to try to get the "eye crusties" off if we don’t wash them. Obviously they bug her. She hates to have her "eye crusties" washed out every day, but she needs it. She runs away if she sees the wet wash cloth coming. She doesn't want it but she needs it.

All clean!!!

Everywhere in the New Testament it says God gives us what we need, not what we want. The Bible doesn't actually state it this way. It states that we get what we need from God. The "don't get what you want" is not there.

In my mind “need” is the minimum and “want” is the extra. For example we need food but we want a chocolate sundae with a cherry on top. And don't we react just like my dog towards “eye crusties” washing when we get what we need instead of what we want? We shouldn't be oblivious that we got what we needed, but I know I am no smarter than my dog - "Father, you didn't answer my prayer!" "Oh yes I did, you got what you needed."

I think when God gives us what we need it isn't less, but instead something different we didn't envision. Something that only in hindsight we realize was really good. Maybe we should ask God for clarity on what we need so we can pray for that instead of what we want.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. - 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV