There is no need to hoard money or belongings. They’re all bestowed by a gracious Father who can provide more if we were to give them away.

Matthew 7:7-11

“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father” (James 1:17 nlt).

It’s a beautiful truth. Every good thing in our lives comes from God—every single thing. Promotions and pancakes. Rain showers and relationships. Songs and sunsets. The astounding blessings God gives, and also the things He does so faithfully that we take them for granted.

And since all good things are from the Father’s hand, it is also true that our very existence depends on hearts that pump at a God-guided rhythm, lungs that breathe a recipe of air He created, brains that think thoughts through channels He wired. We can no more will our hearts to beat than we can move the moon. And we live, every second, because of this orchestrated ordinariness. Every single day.

That’s not to say life is or even should be without adversity or problems. But amid the highs and lows, it is good to remember God’s sustaining provision: He commanded rain to fall, guided sunbeams, and designed vegetation to replenish. All of this happens on a planet He holds in infinite space, in perfect position for each of these things to occur. And on this held planet, He endowed talents, granted mental aptitude, and bestowed physical abilities, according to His purposes.

The word from in James 1:17 makes this truth very personal: It implies a Giver of these good things. They are not simply of God, mere overspills of His goodness. They’re from Him—invented, given, and sent from your Father in heaven to you. And, good Father that He is, His gifts are always thoughtful, meaningful, purposeful. He gave you each provision, each ability, each heartbeat with beautiful intent.

When we start to see every good thing for the gracious gift it truly is, we will loosen our grip on life. There is no need to hoard money or belongings. They’re all bestowed by a gracious Father who can provide more if we were to give them away. Every ability and talent we have is a God-sent blessing. There’s no room for arrogance; we can rest in who the Lord made us to be. And we can enjoy the “little things”—the sunshine, the rain, those pancakes on Saturday morning. Because all things, even the “minor” ones, come from Him. And that means we are deeply loved, down to the most minute detail, with our lives resting on a foundation of God’s goodness.

As you unclench your hands on your possessions and talents and increasingly use them to glorify their Giver, you will discover the beauty and freedom that come with simplicity. Pressures will fade; joy will remain. So respond in kind, and let your life be read simply as a thank-You note to the Author of generosity.

—Laurin Greco