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Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – The Problem of Unmet Needs

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Charles Stanley

Psalm 84:11-12

If God has promised to provide and is able, we might wonder why He doesn’t always meet our needs when we ask. But since He is faithful to His Word, we can know that the problem is never with Him.

Notice that in today’s passage, God’s promise to provide has a condition—it is given to “those who walk uprightly” (v. 11). So if God isn’t meeting our needs as we think He should, either He may have a different plan, or something in our life may be a hindrance.

  • Sin. One reason our prayers may not be answered is because there’s sin in our life and we are not living righteously. If God ignored disobedience and granted our requests, He would be affirming an unrighteous lifestyle.
  • Laziness. Although the Lord is the ultimate source of all we have, He has given us the responsibility of working in order to provide for our basic necessities (2 Thess. 3:10-11). If you’re a capable, able-bodied person who’s unwilling to work and wants something for nothing, God won’t reinforce your laziness.
  • Desires. It’s possible that the Lord hasn’t provided as you expected because your “needs” are really desires. If He sees that what you want won’t fulfill His plans for your life, He may be saying “no” because He has a “yes” that’s even better.

To avoid disappointment with God, understand that His actions and character always align. He won’t reward rebellion or laziness, and His answers to prayer fit with His goal of conforming us to Christ’s image. So if He hasn’t provided what you deem essential, He’s working to bestow a better blessing.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Secure Hope

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Charles Stanley

Psalm 42

The Lord wants us to be people with desires and expectations that are motivating and enriching. But in this fallen world, the disappointment of some unrealized hopes is inevitable. How can we determine where to place our hope—and the way to respond if it’s not fulfilled?

Hope is secure when it is aligned with God’s desires, which are revealed in the Bible. However, our expectations are often based on wishes, feelings, and personal preferences—we yearn for job promotions, good health, or quick solutions to problems. Such desires can be strong, but we have no sure promise from God that they’re part of His will for us.

Disappointment with God has the potential to occur whenever our expectations do not coincide with His plan. Even when hope is based on a scriptural promise, the Lord may not fulfill it in the manner or timing we want. Although God appears inactive, He is moving behind the scenes, preparing us for the future.

The key to contentment and joy lies in placing all subjective hopes under the umbrella of our ultimate hope in the Lord. Keep in mind that God is sovereign and good—He always wants what is best for us and never makes a mistake. His ways are higher than ours and often beyond human understanding.

From a limited and fallen perspective, we may be like a five-year-old who wants candy at every meal. Sometimes God has to dash our hopes in order to give us what He knows is best. Ask Him to clarify and direct your desires to coincide with His way. Then rest in His goodness and keep your hope in Him.

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The Problem of Unmet Needs

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Psalm 84:11-12

If the Lord has promised to provide and is able, why doesn’t He always meet our needs when we ask? Since He’s completely faithful to His Word, the problem is obviously with us, not Him. In today’s passage, His promise of provision has a condition–it’s given to “those who walk uprightly” (v. 11). So if God isn’t providing for our needs as we think He should, He may have a different plan for us. But we should also examine our lives for possible hindrances.

Sin. One reason our prayers may not be answered is because we’ve allowed sin in our lives and are not walking uprightly. If the Lord ignored disobedience and granted our requests, He’d be affirming a sinful lifestyle.

Laziness. Another possible explanation for unmet needs is that we haven’t done our part. Although God is the ultimate source of all we have, He’s given us the responsibility to work in order to provide basic necessities (2 Thess. 3:10-11). If you’re an able-bodied person who’s unwilling to work and wants something for nothing, the Lord is not going to reinforce your laziness.

Desires. Perhaps God hasn’t provided as you expected because your “needs” are really desires. If He knows that what you want won’t fulfill His plans for your life, He will withhold it in order to provide something better.

To avoid disappointment with God, understand that His actions and character always align. He won’t reward rebellion or laziness, and His answers to prayer fit with His goal of conforming us to Christ’s image. If He’s withholding something you deem essential, He’s working something even better for you.