Lacking Nothing
by: Anna Caroline Lloyd
October 2, 2024
“For the Lord God is sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”
Do you ever find yourself thinking that God is holding out on you? That He is withholding something good? I certainly have. It’s easy to look around at all the “good” things in others’ lives and be tempted to believe that God is more inclined to give them what they ask for while asking you to wait for no good reason. But this could not be further from the truth.
Psalm 84:11 says, “For the Lord God is sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” He provides all we need. He is our “sun,” pouring blessings into our lives, and He is our “shield,” defending us from any harm that might come our way.
One of the most dangerous lies we can believe is that God is not good. At its root, this lie stems from pride. We begin to think we know what we need better than God. We feel entitled to a life free of suffering and pain, convinced our plans for our lives are better than those of the Creator.
First and foremost, it is only by grace that we recognize this pride in our hearts. Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and it is not of your own doing; it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast.” We only realize our need for a Savior because of grace. Without it, we would remain in a constant state of believing we know best, convinced we could devise a better plan for our lives than the Creator of the world. This mindset shift is not a “one-and-done” change; it requires daily surrender and a choice to believe that our God is good and that He is who He says He is. Thankfully, He has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us, providing the authority and the mind of Christ. When we feel tempted to believe the lie that the Lord is holding out on us, we can command our souls to accept the truth. We see David do this in Psalm 103:1-5, where he says, “Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.”
The natural state of our hearts, due to the fall, is contrary to this belief—that’s why it’s a choice! A choice to believe He is good and gives “life and life abundantly” (John 10:10). A choice to trust that He is a Father who loves to give good gifts to His children. One of the greatest gifts of believing this and living in this freedom is that we begin to understand what the true prize is. I once heard a pastor say, “Our hope is not attached to the backside of deliverance but to His promise to meet us in the valley.” He is the ultimate prize — knowing Him is true freedom. Galatians 5:1 states, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free…” The freedom Paul speaks of is not the freedom to do as we please but a freedom from the lies of the enemy and an opportunity for an intimate relationship with the Father. It is a freedom from self, rooted in the belief that we desire the Father and His presence above all else.
He is such a good Father that He gave us a helper to provide the grace and strength needed to believe He is who He says He is—capable of doing “immeasurably more than we all could ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20). So when you start to feel the lies creeping in, call on your helper and friend, the Holy Spirit, and ask Him to give you everything you need to believe the truth. He will meet you there and whisper the truth: that He sees you, loves you, and is for you. We lack nothing; He is everything—the only thing that will ever satisfy. The earthly gifts we receive in the form of relationships, financial freedom, children, and more are merely glimpses of the glory meant to point us to the Creator Himself, who deserves all the glory and honor.
So join me, friends, and step into the promise of freedom—the promise that comes with believing that if we know Christ, we truly lack nothing!
Worship: Look Around
Prayer
Father, I come before you overwhelmed by your goodness and grace! A grace that doesn’t just save me from eternal damnation, but that empowers me to see the fault in my heart and gives me the ability to believe you are who you say you are. Thank you that at your core, you are good. There is no good in me apart from you. Would you continue to make me more aware of your goodness and incline my heart to yours? I surrender my plans for my life and my idea of what blessing is at the foot of the cross. You are my prize. I love you and trust you. Amen.
Further Study
Psalm 23, Ephesians 3:14-21, Matthew 7:11
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