The Problem with Self-Sufficiency

I am so proud that here on our farm, we grow or raise all of our own vegetables and meat. We love to have a 100% home grown meal. It’s always been very important to my husband and I to know that we harvested our own food.

Now here lately, I’ve even started milking my goat. That means a whole new world of homemade yogurt, cheese, and other dairy products. We are inching farther away from the grocery store. It’s always been my goal to be this way.

I would say that we strive to be self-sufficient here in our home.

Not only do we grow our own food…we love doing things on our own. I had homebirths. I will homeschool my boys.

Anytime I have a chance to be independent and do something on my own…I’m all for it.

But there’s been something on my mind lately about labeling myself as self-sufficient.

The problem is…I’m totally unable to do any of this on my own.

I will humbly admit that all my strivings for doing things all by myself is kind of futile. I can do none of it on my own. My prideful self-sufficiency is sort of silly.

So who’s in charge of all this if I’m not?

If I don’t stop here and say that the Lord is in charge, I would be way out of line.

I can plant a seed in the ground, but how does it grow? We could argue and give the whole scientific process behind germination…but it all boils down to realizing that God is the one who initially sprouts the seed.

He gives the rain and the sunshine! My garden is in His total control. The health of my animals is in His control. Whether or not we reap a good harvest is all in His hand.

I can sit here and brag til I’m blue in the face about how I can make my own bread and soap. But if the Lord hadn’t provided every single thing I have, I can do none of it.

I am so thankful to be in the position to be able to steward our land and animals to the best of my ability. God has given us the desire to live off our land. He’s provided so abundantly with amazing soil, plentiful rain…which yields delicious varieties of food. He’s given us the resources and family to support us, too.

He is in control of how many babies my livestock has…he is in control of how many babies I have!

It is quickly becoming our lives’ mission to use our land to it’s full potential and teach and encourage others to do the same thing. But one of the most important things we want to convey to the world is that we are totally dependent on a gracious Father.

Our God has provided everything we need. We want the world to know that even if it all went away tomorrow; we believe He will still provide everything we need.

He’s a good, good Father.

He’s given us all these things, and we will glorify Him with our hands and our work.

He’s allowed us to find pleasure in growing our own food. I’m so grateful that He’s given this to us.

You can step back and see His hand in all the twists and turns our lives have made. He’s provided and supplied all our needs. Above all these things…the most important thing He has given us is eternal life through Jesus.

Jesus died for us so that we can live with him forever. Our many sins were covered by Jesus’ perfect sacrifice. The grace He’s shown us through salvation is the greatest gift of all.

So the problem with being self-sufficient… is that I’m not, nor can I do anything on my own. I’m actually very glad that I’m not in control. I would mess everything up. So thank You, Lord, for making me God-dependent.