Wants vs. Needs

So, God and I have been having lots of meaningful discussions lately on wants vs. needs. He is really showing me that there is indeed a difference between the two. For example, things that I want = husband, to be a mother, rock-hard body, just to name a few. Are "wants" bad things? Not necesarily. Are "wants" what we always "need"? Not necessarily. A want is something that would be nice to have, a wish, a desire. A need is something that is necessary or required for our well-being. So, when using the definition of a need and looking at my "wants" I quickly see that they are not things that I will die without, which is a tough pill to swallow, because it sure feels that way sometimes. Does this mean that I should not pray for these things? Absolutely not! But I think that I tend to go to God like Veruca Salt in my most whiny voice, proclaiming, "But, Daddddyy, I want a ____________ nowwwww!" Sometimes the things we want are just not what God has for us at that time, and that takes some major faith in His perfect timing, which is also hard for me to do, because let's face it... my plan always seems great to me. Trusting that God knows what is up ahead can be so hard at times, especially since I am slightly OCD about planning things. It is very hard for me to let go and relinquish control, but that is exactly what He demands of me... Trust, Faith, Surrender.

God has really spoken to me through the Bible study I am doing right now. The other day I saw a translation of Psalm 23:1 that I had never seen before. It really emphasized that in Christ, I have all I need. The NIV version says, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.", but this translation said, "The Lord is my Shepherd; I have everything I need." The author of this study went further to translate this verse by saying, "What I have in God is greater than what I don't have in life." WOW! Chew on that for a while!

Here are some of the verses God has shown me to encourage me in this area:
"No, the Lord is all I need. He takes care of me." - Psalm 16:5
"Depend on the Lord, trust Him, and He will take care of you." - Psalm 37:5
"Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God's peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:6-7
"My God will use his wonderful riches in Christ Jesus to give you everything you need." - Philippians 4:19