Day 22 - Take the First Gift

A Weightless Devotional

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" —Matthew 7:7–11

Some decisions seem to demand worry—or at least call for a good fret over what God wills—whether or not this or that option is from Him, or if we are straying from His will. We worry about getting what we want and lose sleep over making the “right” decision. Then in the process of asking God for His provision, we become paralyzed—stuck in the quagmire of indecision as we worry over which option will ultimately be the best for us—and Him.

And while all of this has a noble origin, in the process of fretting, we actually become blind to God’s supply. That is because this kind of anxiety questions whether each option before us is heaven-sent, or sinful. Like the story of the man caught in a flood. As the waters rose, he prayed fervently for God's rescue. A canoe appeared, offering safe passage, but the man declined, saying, "I'm waiting for God to save me." Not long after, a speedboat shows up with the same offer, met with the same response. Finally, as the waters rise and he clings to his rooftop, a helicopter hovers above him—but again, he refuses, steadfast in his expectation of a dramatic, unmistakably divine, and almost magical intervention.

Tragically, the man perishes in the flood. At heaven's gate, he asked God one question, "Why didn't you rescue me?" To which God responds, "My child, I sent you a canoe, a speedboat, and a helicopter. You refused all my answers to your prayers."

It’s a common pitfall in the spiritual life: provision anxiety. When we become so fixated on discerning the "perfect" answer to our prayers that we overlook the blessing that’s already in front of us. In our quest for certainty and perfection, we inadvertently reject God's first response, convinced that surely there must be more options to come. It’s as if the canoe isn’t good enough—and come to think of it, neither is the helicopter. No, we are looking for something better, something divine. But if only we could have seen the first rescue as the answer to our plea for rescue, imagine the ease of joy we could have experienced almost immediately.

You don’t have to be on a rooftop to struggle to see God’s provision. Provision anxiety shows up in all kinds of situations—the job hunt, searching for a life partner, house hunting. And, the higher the stakes, the more we agonize over making the "right" choice. But what if we're approaching God's provision all wrong? What if, instead of demanding a buffet of options, we gratefully accepted the carefully prepared à la carte meal He's already set before us?

Our verse today offers a profound reassurance about this abundance: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you." There's a beautiful simplicity in this promise. God doesn't say, "Ask, and I'll present you with a complex array of choices to agonize over." Instead, He promises direct, purposeful provision that should remind us that He knows best.

Maybe the remedy to our provision anxiety is not in getting more and better options, but trusting the goodness of the Giver. When you pray for bread, God won't give you a stone. When you ask for fish, He won't offer a snake. His provision may not always match your expectations, but it will always align with His perfect will and your truest needs.

What if, instead of worrying over multiple possibilities, you embraced the first answer that aligns with your prayer? What if, upon receiving provision, you immediately transitioned from anxiety to gratitude and praise? This shift in perspective could transform your spiritual journey from one of constant fretting to one of joyful anticipation.

As you navigate life's decisions, big and small, remember the simplicity of Christ's invitation: ask, seek, knock. Trust that when you do, God's provision will be there—maybe not in the form you expected, but always in the form you need. The antidote to anxiety is trust. Can you take Jesus at His Word?

It may be a shock to your capitalistic upbringing, but over time you can recognize and embrace God's answers to your prayers, even when they come in unexpected packages. In this easy and peaceful faith in God, you will find yourself free from worry and anxiety. Instead of anxiously awaiting a grand spectacle, you will be ready to hop into the canoe of God's everyday grace. In doing so, you might just find yourself traveling lighter, unburdened by the weight of needless worry, and living in the embrace of your adventure of faith.

Thoughts to Ponder: