The LORD appeared to Isaac and said, “Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father. So Isaac stayed in Gerar. When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the LORD blessed him. (Genesis 26:2-3,6,12)
The place where God has called you or sent you to is where your flourishing and provision is. In Matthew 6:33, we are reminded: “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Whatever “these things” may mean to you—whether it’s marriage, children, financial provision, a home, meaningful friendships, food, or creative ideas for wealth, they are all found in your place of primary assignment. While the specifics differ from person to person, one truth is constant: “these things” are truly only found where God has sent you. It is in the place of obedience and alignment with His purpose that your needs are met and your heart finds its deepest fulfillment.
Worry often creeps in because we are not fully engaged in God’s business. Some may feel unsure of how to begin, others may lack the strength, and still others, like Jonah, may just not be interested in seeing souls saved. Regardless of the reason, fear, anxiety, and restlessness take root when we stray from God’s purpose. True peace and provision flow only from walking in alignment with His will.
Elijah
Elijah’s provision was at the Kerith Ravine and later in the house of the widow in Zarephath, in the region of Sidon—not in Jericho or any other place. Imagine if Elijah had decided to go elsewhere because it seemed more likely that his needs will be met there. He would have found himself in a land of abundance yet starving, living like a poor man.
Hagar
Similarly, in Hagar’s case, if God in His mercy had not appeared to her and commanded her to return to her mistress, Sarah, after she fled because of Sarah’s harsh treatment, her story might have ended differently. Perhaps the promise that later came to her son, Ishmael, when they departed Abraham’s household the second time, would not have been given. They might have wandered the earth like vagabonds, as though Ishmael were not the son of a man through whom the blessing was ordained.
As difficult as the conditions under Sarah may have been for Hagar and Ishmael, that was the place where God had chosen to sustain them. Anywhere else would have been outside His purpose. (Genesis 16:6-9)
This is why many who immigrate to thriving countries in search of greener pastures often find themselves struggling just as much, if not more, than they did in the places they left behind. The truth is, we are sustained by God’s word, not by what appears favorable to us physically.
Isaac
Similarly, Isaac prospered in a land of severe famine, where others were struggling, because God told him in Genesis 26:2-3: Do not go down to Egypt, but do as I tell you. Live here as a foreigner in this land, and I will be with you and bless you. I hereby confirm that I will give all these lands to you and your descendants, just as I solemnly promised Abraham, your father.
I can imagine Isaac wrestling with the same thoughts many of us have had: “If I could just make my way to Egypt, my family and I would be fine.” Yet that was not God’s will for him. Egypt, in and of itself, was not the problem—it wasn’t a bad place. In fact, it was the same Egypt where Jacob and his sons later went during a time of severe famine, and the same Egypt where Joseph was commanded to take our Lord Jesus Christ to protect Him from Herod’s wrath.
The issue isn’t the place itself but whether God has called you there. If God hasn’t established a place as your habitat, no matter how promising it looks, your labor will be in vain.
Scripture says: “When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him. He became a very rich man, and his wealth continued to grow. He acquired so many flocks of sheep and goats, herds of cattle, and servants that the Philistines became jealous of him” (Genesis 26:12-14).
Isaac prospered in Gerar because he obeyed the word of God.
Now imagine how poor, hungry and frustrated Isaac would have been if he had ignored God’s command to stay in the land where he was instructed. Had he moved elsewhere, seeking relief from the famine, he would have suffered lack just like the others. But because he remained in the place of God’s provision, even in a time of scarcity, he flourished abundantly.
What Does It Mean to “Take Thought about these things”?
Taking a thought is when you lean on the arm of flesh, acting out of fear that God will not come through. It’s when you let the weight of deadlines and obligations crowd your mind, allowing anxiety to take over. This is the kind of worry that chokes out God’s word in our hearts.
Mark 4:18-19 says: “The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.”
It’s when you call an uncle, aunt, or any other person for financial help without being directed by God to do so. Often, it feels easier to turn to people for help than to pray and trust in God to meet your needs. It’s when you accept a job that you know pulls you away from God’s will, but you take it anyway because it pays well.
Yet, every time you place your trust in man rather than in God, you separate yourself from His provision. In essence, you tell Him that you are self-sufficient and don’t need Him.
This truth remains – God wants to be your only source. Only by trusting Him fully can you walk in the fullness of His provision.
What is Your Next Step?
Your next step shouldn’t be to call the person you think can help you. Instead, your priority should be to align yourself with God’s will, whatever that means to you.
If you’re uncertain about His specific will or assignment for you, I often encourage starting with what has already been clearly given to us as believers.
This is found in Matthew 28:18-20: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Jesus assures us that when we prioritize His kingdom and live righteously, He will provide everything we need.
When we put His kingdom first, He is faithful to take care of all the rest.
Key Scriptures to Mediate on
Genesis 26, Matthew 6
