Trying to do the impossible on your own? Sit Down. Rest. Let God work.
This devotion was written by Dianna Hobbs and used by permission from her ‘Your Daily Cup of Inspiration’ blog. To read more encouragement like this, visit YourDailyCupOfInspiration.com.
Early this morning, after my workout session with my 17-year-old son Kedar, all was still and quiet at home. I retreated to my bedroom and worshiped the Lord, when a song dropped in my spirit containing the exact words found in Psalm 103:1: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!”
I sang it to myself softly and felt the presence of God with me. I meditated on His goodness to me and how He has blessed me and worked miracles for me. Then, I opened my Bible, and God drew my attention to John 6:1-14, a familiar passage. This is where a massive crowd followed Jesus, because they had seen the miracles He performed.
When time came to feed the multitude, Jesus turned and asked His disciple Phillip, “Where can we buy bread to feed all these people?”
Philip replied to Jesus’ inquiry, saying, “Even if we worked for months, we wouldn’t have enough money to feed them!”
We wouldn’t have enough.
Friend, there are some outcomes you cannot produce in your own power. No matter how hard you work, in certain instances, what you’re working toward requires more than you can give. If you worked for a few months, a few years, or a few decades, you wouldn’t have enough to meet the need or accomplish the goal. And that’s where God steps in and works a miracle. That’s what He wants to do for you.
In this story, Andrew, another of Jesus’ disciples, spoke up and said, “There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”
What good is that?
Andrew’s question shows us that his focus was on human power instead of the power of El Shaddai, Almighty God. We have all looked at what we had to work with and thought, what good is that? This won’t make any difference.
This won’t make any difference in my health. This won’t make any difference in my financial situation. This won’t make any difference in my relationship. This won’t make any difference on my job. This won’t make any difference in ministry. This won’t make any difference in the world. This won’t make any difference in any area of my life.
But what you’re forgetting in these emotionally raw and vulnerable moments is the fact that Jesus is the difference-maker, not you! You are right that you don’t have enough. However, the Lord is omnipotent; He has all power. He has an endless supply of all you’ll ever need. When you focus on that, you’ll stop getting discouraged over what you don’t have and what you can’t do. You’ll quit looking at your smallness and focus on His bigness.
We serve a great, big God who is able to do anything!
Jesus said, “Tell everyone to sit down.” Once the huge crowd was seated – in a position of rest with no one toiling – Jesus then did what only He could do. He worked a miracle and fed everybody with two fish and five barley loaves, until they were full and had leftovers.
Just as Jesus commanded the crowd to sit down, He’s commanding you to sit down as well. Rest. Stop trying to figure it out and do it all on your own. Let the Lord work. He wants to work a miracle for you. Jesus said in Matthew 19:26 NIV, which is what I’m stirring into your cup of inspiration, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
As you drink down the contents of your cup, again, sit down, rest, and trust God. Remember that it’s okay not to have enough, because He is more than enough, and His miracle-working power is alive and active today. And you will see His active miracle-working power manifest in your life!
Now, let’s pray.
God, I rejoice in knowing that You are yet the God of miracles, and You will work miracles for me. When I am facing impossible odds, please remind me that what is too complicated for me isn’t too complicated for You, and Your purpose will forever stand. Thank You for the good things You have already done, are currently doing, and will do in the future. In Jesus’ name, Amen.