Going to God First: How God Alone Can Meet Our Needs

September 23rd, 2025

This week has been one of those more difficult ones as a mom. My 11 month old daughter had a fever, stuffy nose, roseola rash, and started cutting her second tooth. This resulted in lots of fussiness, and it was near impossible to soothe her. It was definitely not our normal kind of week. Last night in particular, she kept waking up and crying. I thought that the discomfort she had been in was behind us. My husband and I both tried settling her back to sleep and laying her down again. I’ll bet we did this 5 times, and she just kept crying. On our last attempt, we thought we would just have to leave her to cry it out, but while I was laying there I had the thought that she needed her diaper changed. As a mom, you can often hear the differences in your baby’s cries, and this one was saying to me, “I have an actual need that’s not being met.” I got myself out of bed one more time and wandered into her room. Just like always, she stopped crying as soon as I picked her up. Oh what a privilege and joy it is to be my baby’s safe place. I laid her on her changing table, and sure enough, she had pooped. Quite a lot I must say. I wouldn’t be able to ignore that and go back to sleep either. The sweetest most unexpected thing was that during the whole diaper change, she was smiling at me (yes, even at 3am). She looked like she was relieved and much appreciative that mommy found out and was solving her problem. Her need was being met. After that, I fed her and put her back in her crib where she slept soundly until morning.

I have kept thinking about this sweet encounter with my daughter, and like many experiences with our children, I feel that this one represents our relationship to our heavenly Father. Oh how I want to be more like my daughter, crying out to God and trusting that He alone can meet my needs. I am sure that God is pleased when we run to Him with our struggles, fears, and anxieties. And unlike my earthly flesh, God knows exactly what we need even before we cry out to Him. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1 God delights in us coming to Him, and He promises His peace and console. It’s comforting just knowing that God is always with us and knows what we need, even before we ask.

Now unlike children whining to their parents, we must go to God with our actual needs. God is not our genie. He isn’t there to grant our every wish and desire. But just as Jesus says in His Sermon on the Mount,

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8

Now this verse can sound like God is a genie. I mean, ask and it will be given to you? That sounds like I can take not only my needs, but all my earthly wants and desires to God and they will be instantly fulfilled. But this is wrong thinking, friend. Here, I believe Jesus is talking about passion filled prayers that are sincere and honoring towards Him. God doesn’t always answer our prayers in how we expect Him to, but He does always answer. It matters what we are asking. If we are truly following God and wanting to be more and more like Jesus, then our prayers will reflect that heart posture. Instead of asking God to cure us or our child of an illness (which God may or may not instantly provide), we can ask God to give us patience amidst the pain and struggle (which God is sure to answer). It all depends on what we are asking. I believe that God is always willing to give us the fruits of the Spirit if we approach Him asking for these qualities. I believe He also answers prayers of revealing Himself to us, or revealing our sin to us more plainly. Or even prayers of trusting Him more, which often are answered in opportunities to trust Him. I’m not saying that God doesn’t answer requests to heal illness, often He does in time. But are we looking for a quick fix to our problems, or an opportunity to grow in reliance on God no matter the outcome?

I am certain that God wants us to come to Him with all our joys and struggles, highs and lows, doubts and fears, and thanksgivings. He wants to be the One we cry out to and trust to take care of us, just as a baby trusts their mother or father to meet their needs. We can approach God any time of the day, and He is there to listen and respond. As 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says,

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

I think praying without ceasing looks like first going to God in all things, good or bad. This is something I want to cultivate in my life, a heart that yearns for God and an ever growing trust and reliance on Him. I want to run first to God with my needs, and share all my life’s moments with the One who cares the most for me. I felt so honored and overjoyed when I met my daughter’s physical need, bringing her comfort, peace, and rest. I believe that God feels the same way when we cry out to Him in full trust that He alone can meet our needs and will answer our earnest plea.