Reflection: Trusting God for his provision and fulfilling God's call

When I was 29 I had a good career. I had a BSc (Hons), an MSc, and years of experience in my profession. But then God called me to ministry. After heaps of prayer I left my career at the age of 30 to go to Bible college. The following years were very difficult financially and emotionally, and eventually I stopped working as a pastor, largely because of health reasons and because I wanted to finish my Masters in theology. But I remember that at the end of those years I could say that God never disappointed us financially. Yes, it was very difficult to "walk by faith", so to speak, and trust God for his provision - without any fund raising and without asking people for money. But it's worth it.

We experienced miracle after miracle of financial provision, even though we needed to live on a very tight budget (and continue to do so for many years afterwards). It's an amazing experience.
What I have learned from the experience is that if God has asked us to do something he will provide all our needs. I have to admit that I am a man of little faith - yes, I still am, and very much so. But once you have experienced God's miraculous supplies you have learned something about God's faithfulness.

Will I do it again? Only to the degree that God enables me, and only if I am very sure that God has asked me to do so. Now I am older - I know what my limitations are and how much I can endure. I'll be very careful in making any decision of that kind. But at the same time God's calling is still fresh and real. I consider that I am still in the process of fulfilling that call.

To everyone who wants to do God's will, I encourage you to trust in God's faithfulness. He who has called you to follow him is faithful.

Trusting in God for financial provision in an old-fashioned way

The global financial crisis last year was a major challenge for most of us. The organisation I work in, for example, took very strong measures to cut back on expenses in order to keep as many staff as possible.

But I know of one well-known mission agency that recorded a 100% financial support for their missionaries. And they managed to do that without fund-raising effort and without believing in any form of prosperity doctrine. They have always been trusting God for his supply in the old-fashioned way. That is, they don't deliberately ask people for money. They use sound financial management. They pray. It still works even in the 21st century, because God hasn't changed.

I am not opposed to fund raising or similar measures. But sometimes I wonder whether we trust ourselves more than trusting in God. Well, indeed it is a good question for myself. Do I trust God enough for everything in my life?