It is never sufficient, but always enough!

“Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii* would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten.” (John 6:5-13 ESV)

Though I have read this account many many times, yet this morning, I find fresh encouragement in it.

The Lord's requirement of His disciples was greater than what they could deliver with what they had on hand. They were facing an inadequacy! I have been thinking the last couple of days about my inadequacies. I don't have enough money, I don't have enough time, I don't have enough ability, I don't have enough discipline..... I have a little of all of the above, but not enough! This passage helps me to see that it is not what you have, or how much you have, but what you do with what you have that makes the difference.

They simply did what the Lord led them to do with what they had, and The LORD is the one who took what was not enough and made it sufficient. This is what it means to live by faith--doing what God says, with what He has given you and watch him take what is not enough and make it sufficient!

We must not allow our insufficiencies, our inadequacies to paralyze us and drive us into discouragement, and depression. Rather, we must look to the Lord for direction, and by faith step out to do what He is leading us to do, trusting him to take the inadequate and make it sufficient!

The Lord will never give us so many resources that we no longer have to trust in Him!

"Dear Lord, help me to be a good steward of my loaves and fishes, doing with them what you command me to do, trusting you to take what could never be sufficient in and of itself, and make it enough. Help me to realize that what you give is never sufficient, but with your power is always enough."