Why do we lack if God leads?

Sometime ago, I read what David said in Psalm 23:1 (NIV) – “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want“. While growing up, I had recited this verse several times, but did not appreciate the magnitude until I attempted to read it in opposite terms: The Lord is NOT my shepherd, I shall BE IN WANT! Hmmm! Cold shivers ran through my spine as I began to ponder on this.

Could it be that some lack and need in my life are as a result of me not following the direction of the shepherd and bishop of my soul?

Then I remembered Elijah’s story in I Kings 17:3-16; during the time of drought, God led him to the brook Cherith, and there he fed him with bread and meat delivered by ravens and he drank water from the brook. But after some time, the brook dried up and there was no water, and God led him to a widow of Zeraphath, who took care of his needs. If Elijah had spent hours commanding water to come out of the dried brook rather than following the ‘new’ direction of supply (just as most believers would do today), would he have been in want?

Reading the story of the Israelites journey to the promise land with the benefit of hindsight, is it worth asking why God did not continue to feed them with manna when they got to the promise land? What about Jesus, why didn’t he pay the tax collector the same way he fed 5000 people?

Why do many believers in the 21st century seem to stick to one channel of supply their entire lives; not expecting God to meet their need using other channels? Are we enjoying the excitement of change in walking with God or we are comfortable with the path of least resistance? Could we be missing something in this generation? Could God be leading us to several areas and into different things that will naturally quench our needs? Do we say “My God shall supply my needs” when we truly mean “my job shall supply my needs”?