Meeting the God of More Than Enough
Bible Verse
11 Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave thanks to God. Then he passed the bread to the people, and he did the same with the fish, until everyone had plenty to eat. John 6:11
Jesus took the bread in his hands and gave thanks to God. Then he passed the bread to the people, and he did the same with the fish, until everyone had plenty to eat. John 6:11 CEV
Ever find yourself in a season of not-enoughs? Not enough time to do all the laundry. Not enough money to pay all the bills. Not enough energy for drop-offs and pick-ups because of not enough uninterrupted sleep, due to your little ones. And no matter how hard you try to steal away for some alone time to recharge and figure out how to be enough, your kids become experts at hide and seek! And your cloak of invisibility is nowhere to be found. (Probably buried under that pile of laundry.)
Your Savior knows exactly how you feel. After his cousin, John the Baptist, was murdered and beheaded, Christ tried to get away to be alone and to pray, but the crowds followed him. They saw how he healed the sick and helped the hurting. Like a loving caregiver, he then anticipated the crowd's needs and prepared a plan to meet their need with…you guessed it… not enough. The boy’s five small loaves of bread and two fish were not enough to feed a crowd of five thousand. But the boy’s food in God’s hands became more than enough to satisfy everyone fully and then some.
How comforting to know that the little bit of patience or that tiny bit of faith you have left can be multiplied in the Master’s hands to meet your needs and make a difference wherever you are! Here are three tips to help you and your family experience the God of more than enough.
Testimony Tea Time: Whether you prefer tea and crumpets or cookies and milk, create a special time with a special treat and tell your kids about a time when God took your not-enough and made it more than enough. Recounting God’s faithfulness helps you walk by faith, not by sight, and inspires your kids to do the same.
Gratitude Jar or Journal: Before Christ made more than enough, he thanked God for the not enough. Lead your family in writing down your not-enoughs and thanking God for what you do have. Focusing on God’s abundance rather than your lack will encourage your heart and usher in God’s peace, which surpasses all your understanding (Philippians 4:7).
Make Someone’s Day: God blesses us so we can bless others. Take a look at your life and see what blessings are in abundance. Can you pass some of those blessings on to someone else and help them go from not enough to just enough or more than enough? For instance, does your child have some toys or Legos that they could donate to others? What extra time does the family have to do church or community service? Maybe you’re overflowing with joy and love, making other people smile. Some people don’t have enough joy and could use your extra dose of love and encouragement!
Although God always has more than enough, he invites you to team up to care for all his creation. Remember, whatever you have to offer is more than enough for your heavenly Father to work with.
Want to do a deep dive? Check out Family Fire's article Being Thankful in the Middle of Not Enough
Jenée V. Giles-Hamilton
Jenée V. Giles-Hamilton is a wife, TV writer, and homeschools two of her four sons (ages five years old to 21). She loves searching for the perfect picture books to read to her younger sons and Bible devotions to share at family dinners. She also enjoys caring for their two cats: Nano-Rex and Santi Cat.
