Everyday Step with Jesus

In the moments when we think there is no way out of our situation or no solution, Jesus always comes through. He comes at the right time, when we least expect it. He makes something big out of something small, He makes a way for us where there is no way. When we find ourselves in these situations, where we see no solution, fear, worry and doubt begin to creep in. If we step back and place it in Jesus’ hands, we will see that He makes a way. All we need is a little faith, a little determination, a little focus…even if you think that it is microscopic, hand it over to Him and see how He increases what you place in Him. He is a faithful God, and any and all increase comes from Him. Keep on reading…

God is able to take the small portion that we have and increase it. Whether it is our faith, joy, strength, gifts, talents…whatever it may be He can increase it when He is in the midst of it. We see this happen when He fed the multitude of about 5,000 people. There were only five loaves of bread and two small fish, surely this wouldn’t be enough for so many people. However, Jesus already knew what He was going to do, that He was going to multiply the bread and the fishes for all to eat and still be able to gather the leftovers. One of His disciples, Andrew, said, 

“There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?” (John 6:9 NKJV) 

Here Andrew points out the reality of the situation, what can such a small portion contribute? The bread and fish that they had available seemed so insignificant and small compared to the amount of people that needed to be fed. At a glance and the reality of the situation was that it was insignificant…but not where Jesus is. If Jesus is in the midst of the situation, He is able to increase and make abundantly more. Even what seems small and insignificant among many, He multiplies and makes more than enough. This is true for our lives today. Those things that seem like they are not enough, they become enough in Him. The little faith that we have, He will increase. What is small in our eyes, He uses for His glory…to show that all increase comes from Him. Reflecting on this verse and the questions that Andrew made, led me to think about the many times that I asked God the same question about my walk with Him and what I could contribute. In my eyes, what I had to contribute didn’t seem like enough. How many times do we think this? That what we have is not enough. I know I thought this many times…but it is because I was looking at it the wrong way and leaning on my own understanding.

The truth is that anything that we do have has been given to us by Him, according to our abilities. He knows what we are capable of and He has given to us accordingly. In the book of Matthew, there is a parable that Jesus gave about the talents. There were three different servants and each one was given talents by their lord according to their abilities.  The first was given five talents and he multiplied his talents and gained five more talents. The second was given two talents and he also gained two more talents. The third servant was given one talent and he hid his talent. When the lord went back to his servants he was well pleased with the first two servants but not with the third. The third servant told his lord, 

“Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.” Matthew 25:24-25 NKJV

We learn a few things with this verse. We learn that the servant claimed to know his lord, that he was afraid and that is why he hid what had been given to him, and that the talent was his lord’s. Fear is so crippling and stops so many of us from obtaining what we are capable of obtaining in Christ. We are capable because of Him, what He has placed in our hands has been placed according to what we are able to do. Our Lord knows us, and has entrusted us with the gifts He has placed them in us, therefore, what we have is not insignificant. What we have is enough in Him. When we are close to Him, when we have a relationship with Him, He will be the one to enable us, guide us, and ultimately increase what He has placed in our hands. Any increase in our lives comes from Him, yes, we will have to put in our part by following Him. But the outcome is reached through a continual communion with Him.

Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. Colossians 2:18-19 NKJV

Here Paul is reminding the church that the increase is from God alone, no one else…not even ourselves. It is only possible when we hold fast to Jesus. If we try to do this walk without His guidance we only end up frustrated and afraid. We end up thinking that what we have is not enough, and that we don’t have much to contribute. Instead of flourishing like how God intended for us to flourish, for His Glory, we end up hiding what He has placed in our hands. 

Stay close to Him, focus on a relationship with Him and watch Him increase what you see as insignificant. Maybe the faith you have is small and barely there, so stay close to Him and see how He increases that faith in you. The joy may be small, and covered by the many problems that come your way…through constant communion with Him, He will increase your joy. You may doubt what you are capable of, but take your eyes off yourself and put your eyes on Him and who He says that you are, not what fear and doubt say that you are. 

He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Isaiah 40:29 NKJV