Devotion: God will do a lot with a little

My husband Kenya was so excited the other day when he returned from the grocery store where he’d gone to grab a few items for the house.

“Strawberries were on sale for only 49 cents per container!” he announced gleefully. Since they usually cost $2.50 per container, this was a significant savings.

“Wow, that’s amazing!” I said, pleasantly surprised.

Both Kenya and I try to be conservative in our spending, so we’re always grateful when we can save a few pennies. After all, we do have four additional mouths to feed in the Hobbs household, and our two teenaged boys have especially hefty appetites! We count it a blessing when a dollar stretches further than expected and we can get more for less.

Lately, however, that hasn’t been the case at the grocery store. Unlike the strawberries that were on sale, many of the food items we typically buy have increased in price. But thank God our family has been able to eat well. Even more wonderful is the fact that, with your help, God has graced us through our nonprofit organization’s hunger-fighting initiative, to help feed families in need.

As I was thinking about how good it felt to spend less and get more, I considered the fact that God often grants us favor in various areas of life. He takes what we have, stretches it, and does more than we expected.

In today’s podcast, which is a companion to this devotion, I talked about Samson, one of the most famous Judges of Israel. I’d like to use him as a specific example of how God’s power works through us, despite how little we have, to achieve great things. In Judges 16, when he lost his strength after his Philistine captors cut off his hair, Samson became a prisoner of the enemy (v. 21). He was weak, blind, and seemingly hopeless.

One day, as the Philistines were making a mockery of Samson in the temple and crediting their idol god, Dagon, with giving them victory over this former strongman, Samson prayed to God to strengthen him one last time (v. 28), and God answered Samson.

In one final act of faith, strength and courage, as about 3,000 men and women were gathered in the temple, Samson pushed the two pillars the temple needed to stand, causing it to collapse. Though he died there, he killed more Philistines in one day than he ever did in his entire lifetime (v.30).

Now, I want you to think about something. Based on Samson’s weakened state and the way his circumstances looked that day, no one would have guessed that he was going to have the biggest victory of his life. If you had asked anyone else, they would have said, there is no way that could happen. Samson’s glory days are over.

And could you blame them? He was in chains. He was blind. He was feeble. He was a laughingstock. But here’s the thing we must never forget: What we have to work with may be small, but we serve a great big God whose power is all-surpassing. He doesn’t need a whole lot in order to do a whole lot.

“God is going to amaze you by doing so much more than you expected. You may feel insufficient, but He’s going to reveal Himself once again as the All-Sufficient Savior!”

— Dianna Hobbs

When I was sick and bedridden a few years ago, my siblings would come and visit me. I remember how they sat in my bedroom for hours, talking to me, encouraging me, singing to me, and just being with me in general.

One day, one of my sisters bought me a Teddy Bear with a custom t-shirt. The tee said, “My Name Is Strength,” which was the title of a song one of my younger sister’s wrote. I cried when I received that lovely, cuddly gift, not just because it touched my heart, but because it reminded me that I was strong through Christ. Because I belong to Him, even when I am weak, I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:10). I look back on that time with deep gratitude. Despite what doctors said, God worked a miracle and raised me up from my bed of affliction.

Friend, you and I serve a Risen Savior with all power, and our deficiencies cannot hinder Him from displaying His majesty, strength and power through us.

Consider who we serve: Jesus fed five thousand with two fish and five loaves (Matthew 14:13-21); God fed 100 of Elisha’s men with only 20 barley loaves, and there were leftovers (2 Kings 4:42-44); God supernaturally caused the poor widow’s small jar of olive oil to keep flowing until every jar she had was filled, and she was able to pay off all her debt (2 Kings 4:1-7).

God specializes in doing a lot with a little, and that’s what He’s going to do in your life. You may feel like you don’t have enough resources, insight, strength, fortitude, help, courage, ability, or access. While that may be true, God is going to supernaturally increase what you have to accomplish His purposes.

He’s sending you this word to tell you, don’t worry. Stop looking at what you have, which is a limited supply, and look at what He has, which is an unlimited supply.

Right now, He’s causing blessings to multiply. He’s stretching your resources. He’s giving you abundant favor, and He’s going to do more than you thought possible. Your deficiency doesn’t matter, because our all-sufficient God is going to make up for what you lack.

Again, don’t worry. Be encouraged. God’s word His true. His power is working through you, as weak and feeble as you may be.

Today, I’m stirring 2 Corinthians 4:7 GWT into your cup of inspiration, which says, “Our bodies are made of clay, yet we have the treasure of the Good News in them. This shows that the superior power of this treasure belongs to God and doesn't come from us.”

As you drink down the contents of your cup, when you feel powerless, know that His superior power is working in you. Because this is true, you will see God do a lot with the little bit you have.

Now, let’s pray.

God, thank You for taking the little bit I have and stretching it beyond what I knew was possible. In moments when I feel discouraged because of what I lack, please remind me that You are all-sufficient, and as long as I remain in Your will, I lack nothing. I declare that every need is met. Every way is made. And Your will shall be fulfilled in me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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