Encouragement Comes in Unexpected Ways

Friends, today, my prayer is that you will be encouraged. Whatever your needs are, my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Who knows what unexpected way He will provide them, but we can be assured He will. I have a fun story ahead. Encouragement comes in unexpected ways.

I’ve been feeling overwhelmed this month. In fact, yesterday, the very first thing I wrote in my journal were these words, “Oh Lord, I’m overwhelmed.” 

With headache pounding, neck aching, and eyes burning, I sat down to work once again at my computer. Hours of computer work are taking a toll on my physical wellbeing.

I received an encouraging text message from a friend, which gave me the idea to search for a blog post I had written a couple of years ago about come to Jesus and ask.

Well, I didn’t find that blog post because the Lord led me to this one instead: “Morning Musing:  What Does Math and Economics Have to Do with My Faith?”

Encouragement comes in unexpected ways.

Long List of Needs

God used my own words and my own story to encourage me and remind me He is the One who supplies all my needs. One of the strangest experiences I’ve had is being encouraged by something I personally wrote.

You see, recently I’ve had a long list of needs. I’m constantly asking Jesus for more help. I’m constantly asking Him to provide. While I believe He will provide for my needs in His perfect timing, I never know how or when He will supply them. 

Rereading this blog post revealed something amazing to me. On August 13, 2018, I had a long list of needs, too, including needing a new home computer, new carpet, and more energy. Many needs required chunks of money of which I didn’t have, and I had no idea when I ever would. 

But I had been praying a long time that God would provide for our needs. I truly believed He would, so I continued waiting for His provision.

Needs Supplied

“My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
~ Philippians 4:19

One month after writing and publishing “Morning Musing:  What Does Math and Economics Have to Do with My Faith?” God provided for my new computer in the most surprising way. 

In September 2018, my job was eliminated. I had so much vacation time accrued, the payout was enough to purchase my new MacBook Pro. 

And for the next six months as I was unemployed, God restored my energy. I had enough time to sleep, rest, and relax before my next employment began. God used unemployment to provide for two of my needs.

Then one year later in August 2019, my mother-in-law died. My husband received an inheritance. There was enough money to not just buy new carpet, but also to remodel our 70’s kitchen and get a new deck. I’m still in shock how God supplied for our new carpet plus even more.

God has the most unusual ways to supply our needs.

God Knows Best

Yesterday, after rereading the Morning Musing blog post, I was encouraged. God was personally reassuring me that He will supply for ALL my current needs. 

Encouragement comes in unexpected ways, friends. We need to be open to following God’s lead when He nudges us toward something. Had I not re-read that Morning Musing blog post, I would not have had this most unexpected encouragement. 

I needed encouragement that God would supply for all my current needs.

Friends, I’ve said this before and I’ll forever say it. Encouragers need encouragement. God provided for a need I didn’t even realize I had. I needed encouragement and He supplied for that need yesterday through a blog post I had written over two years ago.

I woke up today still thinking about this blog post and how God encouraged me in the most unexpected way. 

Friends, today, my prayer is that you will be encouraged too. Whatever your needs are, my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Who knows what unexpected way He will provide them, but we can be assured He will.

If you have a testimony of how God has encouraged you in unexpected ways, I’d love to hear about it. Please leave a comment.