Only God Can Meet All Your Needs

by Rick Warren — November 21, 2020

“You don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it.”

James 4:2 (NLT)

One of the biggest causes of quarreling in your family, with your friends, or at your work is that you expect people to fill needs in your life that only God can fulfill. This is often most obvious in marriage, but it’s true in every relationship. You find people you can trust and who know you well. So you start looking to them to keep you emotionally and spiritually fulfilled.

It’s common for people to get married and think their spouse should and will meet all their needs. After all, you complete each other, right? But that’s just unrealistic, unfair, and only setting you up for massive frustration? Your spouse is not God. Your best friend is not God. Your co-workers are not God. None of them know you like God does. None of them can provide for you like he can. They are broken human beings, just like you!

It’s time to change your expectations so your frustration doesn’t lead to more conflict and quarreling in your relationships.

So, what should you do instead of looking to someone else to fulfill every emotional, spiritual, and physical need you have? You should pray about it.

“You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it” (James 4:2 NLT).

When you expect other people to meet your needs instead of God, it leads to frustration. And frustration leads to quarreling. If you’re not praying and asking God to provide for your needs, then you’re going to spend more time quarreling. If you’re not praying about it, you’re fighting over it. You don’t have because you haven’t asked God for it!

If you have a need, don’t look first to your spouse or your friend to fill it. Go to God first. He already knows what you need, and he’s ready to give it to you. You just have to ask.

Talk It Over

  • What are some of the needs you’ve been looking to your spouse to fill that have led to disappointment? What about your best friend? Your co-workers?
  • What need have you wanted God to meet in your life? How have your prayers reflected your trust in him to provide for that need?
  • Why do you think God wants you to pray about your need when he already knows what you need?

Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.