Philippians 4.19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
This is a well known verse and is usually used when we run into personal difficulties. We take this promise and say - Thank you God that you will take care of my car bill, or my tuition or my health - thank you. And we should thank God that he will meet (or fill up) all our needs. We should thank God that it is according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus - in other words, we will be well supplied when in need because our God is a rich and gracious God.
But I think there is something more to this verse. The context tells of God supplying our needs especially when we are seeking to help others in their troubles. It is a verse which encourages us to look beyond ourselves and see that our God is so rich, he will give us what we need to minister to God's people in trouble.
In the context, we read Philippians 4.14-15: Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; ...
In other words, when does God promise to supply our needs? In our selfish nature, we turn that promise into God looking after us as we seek to look after ourselves. And while God will do this, God's Word is even deeper and more penetrating - God will supply our needs when we are looking at other's needs so we can help them when they are in trouble.
Am I able to say: it is good to share in the troubles of others - the cost - financial, emotional, spiritual, physical? Where will I get the strength, the wisdom, the words, the resources - where will I get what I need to help those in trouble? God's promise: And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
God will supply your needs - as you seek to help those in trouble.
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