Editorial

Just the Kind of God We Need

Oct 27, 2022
Listen to Article:

The story is told of a young Christian student who was distraught because of an argument he had with his girlfriend. He made an appointment to see the youth minister of his church for advice. When he arrived, his wise friend began their meeting with this prayer:

Dear God of creation, who created the universe from nothing, scattered billions of stars at a mere word, engineered every favorable condition necessary to support life on this blue planet, populated the oceans and the lands with creatures of unimaginable variety and complexity, orchestrated all of nature and made man its master…

God of Moses, who turned the mighty Nile into a river of blood, sent hordes of frogs, swarms of lice and flies, a plague of disease and boils, devastating hail, locusts that covered the sky, and the death of Egypt’s firstborn in order to answer the prayers of his people for freedom…

God of David, who with a river stone dropped a warrior giant to his death and made a shepherd boy a king…

God of the disciples, who on Pentecost received Your power, spoke in other languages so 3,000 were baptized on one day, and then turned the world upside down for Christ…

Father of Jesus, who made the blind see, the lame walk, lepers whole and the dead to rise, and gave His life to rescue those who were hopelessly dead in sin and made them alive to righteousness and eternal life…

God of creation, God of history, God of the Bible, God Almighty…could You possibly be of some help with this young man’s girlfriend? Amen.

When I heard this story, I couldn’t help but laugh. How like that young student I can be. Stopping for a moment to reflect on God’s sovereign power — and His promise to use it always for my good if I’ll put my trust in Him — puts my daily concerns into a whole new perspective.

In truth, my problems are so small, so transitory. And God is so big, bigger than I can possibly imagine. Surely, I trust Him for too little. Perhaps you do, too.

If the youth minister had been praying for your concerns, how would he have closed his prayer?

  • “…could You possibly ease this couple’s concerns about the bear market and reassure them of Your promise to provide for their needs?”

  • “…could You possibly show this family how to stretch their budget at this time of high inflation?”

  • “…could You possibly lead this man to a job that would be a better fit for the way You’ve made him and for the financial and family needs that he has?”

  • “…could You possibly show this couple how to get out of debt and save for the future as Your word commends?”

  • “…could You possibly comfort this widow and help her make wise investing decisions as she seeks to be a good steward of Your wealth?”

  • “…could You possibly show this family how they can give even more to take the saving message of Christ to those who have never heard?”

Could He possibly? We know the answer is, “Of course!” He is the One about whom Jesus said, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

Our part is to trust Him. We have it on the highest authority that “Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23). And again, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed…nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).

There is one exception, however, one thing that God has declared is impossible for us: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

So let us seek Him, trusting Him to deliver us through the difficulties of life, remembering that we pray to a God who is too strong to ever lose control of any situation, too wise to ever make a mistake,
and too loving to ever abandon us. Just the kind of God we need.

Written by

Austin Pryor

Austin Pryor

Austin Pryor has 40 years of experience advising investors and is the founder of the Sound Mind Investing newsletter and website. He's the author of The Sound Mind Investing Handbook which enjoys the endorsements of respected Christian teachers with more than 100,000 copies sold. Austin lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with his wife Susie. They have three grown sons and many grandchildren.

Revolutionize Your Investing Approach

Unlock Your Wealth-Building Potential with Sound Mind Investing

Don't leave your investments to chance. Let Sound Mind Investing guide you to financial success. Experience the power of our simple, rules-based strategies and see your wealth grow.

Unlock Your Wealth Potential Risk Free Today!