While preparing to move into my new rental property I made a list of things that were needed, and with the Lords help I’ve been able to check most of those off [1]. Part of preparing that list was thinking about things that I would like to have in my home, and then deciding which ones were legitimate needs.
During the brainstorming process air-conditioning came to mind, but I didn’t even list it as a possibility since;
- Fans and sea-breeze can keep a person cool
- The air-conditioning units you can buy here are WAY too expensive, and cost a lot to run
- And to be honest this was something I could just do without (along with Krispie Kreme donuts and Pepsi)
Thankfully the fact that I could live without air-conditioning didn’t keep God from providing it 🙂
While visiting my missionary partners in town last Friday they showed me an ad in the paper selling a window unit air-conditioner for less than $250 US dollars. At first I thought it was a mistake, but a phone call to the man selling it confirmed that was the price!
The reason it’s so cheap is he had bought it from the States so the voltage is different from SVG (they use 220) and hardly anybody here uses US appliances. After the man realized that air-conditioning unit wasn’t big enough for his house, he was forced to sell it for a low price.
The fact that I will soon have an air-conditioning unit (perhaps as early as tomorrow afternoon) is a reminder that God knows all of my needs…even the ones that I can live without.
Each of us have had to take give up on things we really wanted because those were “luxuries”- Something that would definitely bring happiness but isn’t absolutely necessary. Most of the times we do without the luxuries of life. In a sense this is a good thing because it teaches us many of the things we desire are luxuries, and can be lived without. At the same time giving up these things can make us believe God doesn’t want us to be comfortable.
When giving up luxuries (particularly ones important to us) we must remember God sees all of our needs….even the ones we can live without. This doesn’t mean that He will provide for all of them of course [2] but we can know God takes great joy in providing things that make us comfortable as we follow Him faithfully.
sometimes it’s frustrating being away from the comforts of home, but I’m so grateful that on those days I’ll be able to stand in an air-conditioned room, and know God loves me enough to provide the things I can live without.
svgmissionary.com 