My brother, Michael, is the jokester in our family. One of his frequent comedic lines comes after holiday meals.

I ask, “Michael would you like a slice of cherry pie?”

He says, “No thanks. I’ll just have the whole pie.”

He’s not kidding. My brother loves cherry pie.

I feel the same way about life. I want it all.

I want the happy marriage, the obedient child, the healthy lifestyle, an updated wardrobe, a well-appointed home and a Hershey bar with almonds at least once a week.

But I also want a dynamic prayer life, good scriptural recall and understanding, thriving relationships with family and friends and a heart to seek and serve God in ways that make Him smile.

But is having it all really possible? Probably, not all at once.

In my experience, the seasons of life include slices of life I want and ones I want to wish away. Here’s the Apostle Paul’s solution:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:12-13 NIV)

My ultimate goal is to do life by doing it all through Christ.

Hence, my prayer life and scriptural recall become essential; especially, when the happy marriage, the obedient child, the healthy lifestyle, updated wardrobe and well-appointed home are absent or inconsistent.

And yet, I’m not alone. Complications and tragedies find their way into every life. However, a believing soul learns to trust God.

In doing so, I’ve discovered there are at least 3 ways I can have it all.

I can have all the peace I need in the midst of my problems. (see Philippians 4:6 and 7)

I can have all the power I need to live in God’s will. (see Colossians 1:9-11)

I can have all the grace He gives to thrive in my current season. (see 2 Corinthians 12:9)

But if I try to have all the control,

I’ll forfeit peace and worry over my problems.

I’ll ignore the will of God and insist on having my way.

I’ll forget His grace in Christ and flounder in my idea of perfection and self-sufficiency.

What does “having it all” mean to you?

It may mean having good health or having access to your loved ones. We may take our cues from soul searching, social media or celebrity lifestyles.

But it’s likely we take it very seriously.

If we fall for the myth someone else has a flawless public and private life, we fail to see their entire story.

If we keep comparing our lives to someone else’s, we’ll miss seeing God’s faithfulness in our own.

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Philippians 4:19 and 20 NIV)

In Christ, all our needs are met — according to the riches of His glory. His glory is worth so much more than my opinion. So when I feel like things aren’t working out in my favor, there’s always more to my story.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV)

“All things” include what we count as a blessing and what we wish never came near our lives. But for those who love God, He promises good things await.

I can survive without a Hershey bar with almonds. My brother will be fine without those extra slices of cherry pie. But we need to experience God’s purpose, including hope for the heart and joy to the soul.