“When the disciples brought five loaves and two fish to Jesus, it was never going to be enough to feed the multitudes. But instead of complaining of how little food there was, Jesus blessed the little. He did this because the miracle was never about the loaves and fishes, it was about what the boy’s offering had the potential to become, in the hands of a miracle working God.
I have learned that until we can be thankful for what is not enough, then the little that we have cannot be multiplied into what can be more than enough. Imagine how different our lives would be if we stopped cursing what we don’t like, what we don’t have and who we are not, and began to give thanks instead. We could start by saying, “God, this is not the job I wanted, but I thank you that I have a job. This is not the house I wanted, but I thank you that I have a roof over my head. This is not the marriage I wanted, but I thank you that we are working on it. These are not the ministry results I was praying for, but I thank you that I’m in the ministry. This child is not living up to my expectations, but I thank you for this child. Lord, I know that this is not enough, but I lift it up and give to you what I have.”
The key is to begin to thank God, right where we are for what we do have, and believe him able and faithful to perform the miracles necessary to take us where he wants us to go, and to give us what he wants us to have.
Once Jesus blessed what was never going to be enough, he then broke it… and that is where the miracle of multiplication began. The blessing is in the breaking; it is those very things that we thought would take us out because they broke us that become the things we feed to others. If we put our broken lives, relationships, bodies, finances, emotions, dreams, and hopes into the hands of our gracious and redeeming God, he will use them to feed the multitudes. Our brokenness does not disqualify us from being used by God; it is the very thing that qualifies us.
When you believe that God works all things together for your good, then you know that he can take the broken pieces of your past and make it work for his glory. The very thing that the devil meant for evil is what God will use for good. The power is in the broken pieces.
Do you have any broken pieces that you are trying to hide, instead of giving them to God to be used for his glory?”
Taken from Christine Caine’s, “Living Life Undaunted.” This devotion really spoke to me. So many times we want to hide those ugly, broken parts of our life, instead of surrendering them to be used to glorify God and lead others to Him.
Nursery/Mini Church Ages 0-5 - Day 1
Kid’s Church Ages 6-11 - Day 1
Pre Teen 12+ - Day 1
Andrea