Often we hear this phrase and immediately we think about all the good things God has given us. The Lord provides our food, our shelter, our health, our finances, our jobs, our everything. He is our provider and gives us all things for our enjoyment (1 Tim. 6:17).

Recently I was reading through the book of Jonah and the phrase, "the Lord provided," stood out to me. After the Lord sent a violent storm, we see in 1:17, "the Lord provided a great fish." That one fits right along with all of our thinking, God provided for Jonah and spared his life.

But then look at chapter 4 and the phrase is used a few more times. In 4:6 the Lord provides a vine for Jonah to give him shade. In verse 7, He provides a worm to take away the shade. In the next verse He provides a "scorching east wind," and Jonah was miserable and wanted to die.

This word translated "provided" in Jonah carries with it the meaning of appointed or prepared. The fish, the vine, the worm and the wind were all appointed, prepared by God for this time for Jonah. It was exactly what Jonah needed.

I don't think Jonah was ready and grateful of the Lord's provisions as He was sitting on the hillside. I am so much like that. I want the easy stuff, to sit in the shade, but not the difficulties, the wind and storms, which God sends to help me grow closer to Him. I don't see them as His "provisions" but more His testings or even attacks from Satan.

After Job lost everything he worshipped the Lord and said, "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." (Job 1:20) The next time adversity comes it may be "provisions" from the Lord. The question is, do we see them as such?