Craig Clouston

 What I Need

May 3

Your Father knows what you need.

Matthew 6:8

“I don’t enjoy the new house church as much as our old group,” Ray said. “It’s not that I don’t benefit from this one—I just really miss our old friends. I wish we were still together.”

It was the third time in as many months that Ray had made this comment. He, Brett, and their wives had been part of the old group made up of six couples. They’d been together for over five years. They had shared struggles, and in doing so, had become very close.

The old crowd had split up, each couple leading their own group. Ray was missing the closeness tonight.

Brett smiled. “God knows how much we miss the old fellowship, Ray. He just loves us too much to leave us together too long. He wants us to develop new relationships. As God stretches us, we discover things about ourselves we would never have known otherwise. Trust Him a little longer, Ray. God knows what we need. He may even choose to bring us back together.”

†

Ray’s desire to go back to the more comfortable and seemingly more nourishing group is not uncommon. Unfamiliar things can be awkward in the beginning. Ray wasn’t remembering that it had taken him two years to loosen up in the old group. He just remembered the benefits he’d reaped.

We tend to resist change. But we can’t grow if we remain anchored in the familiar. We can unknowingly get to where we worship the atmosphere created in close-knit groups and not the Creator of the atmosphere. It can and does happen without our recognizing it. 

Trusting God in the uncomfortable is where we grow the most. We gain invaluable experience when we let Him move us into the center of His will instead of demanding that He submit to ours. It’s not always easy or comfortable at first, but the dividends we receive from being stretched spiritually are priceless.

The next time you encounter change, embrace it in expectation. God knows what you need.

Prayer

“I don’t do change too well, Lord, and I need Your help seeing the benefit of new things. Give me a heart to trust You when I step out believing You know what’s best for me. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”