Question:
There are some things that we need that God supplies (Philippians 4:19). But sometimes there are things which may be a need or can be a want. How do we discern?

Answer:
According to the Scripture, what are the things that we need? Food, drink, and clothing (Matthew 6:31, 32); forgiveness and salvation (Matthew 9:12, 13); patience (Hebrews 10:36). Surely, the greatest of these needs is eternal salvation.

In reference to food, drink, and clothing, the Lord says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). So if our constant prayer is for God’s will to be done in our lives and for Him to be glorified through us, then we can leave it up to God to give us what He—in His perfect wisdom—knows that we truly need and what is best for our spiritual growth and holiness. In connection with this, it might be a profitable study of Scripture to identify the various things which the Lord Jesus and the apostles prayed for. For example, the Lord prayed, “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34) and the apostles prayed for boldness in proclaiming the Word of God (Acts 4:29, 31; Ephesians 6:19). Praying earnestly for things we want rather than what we need can sometimes be risky: “And [God] gave them their request, but sent leanness into their soul” (Psalm 106:15).