Have you ever noticed how God—our unlimited, inexhaustible God— seems to completely disregard our human limitations when He asks us to do things?

We hear God say, “Be holy. Be grateful. Be active. Be a world changer. Meet needs. Forgive. Give. Conquer. Trust. You’re blessed to be a blessing.” I don’t know about you, but often I find myself responding…”But God! There’s just not enough! There’s not enough time. Not enough money. Not enough energy. I don’t have the strength. There aren’t enough hours in the day. I don’t have enough credibility. Confidence. Gifting. Experience. Goodness in me. There’s not enough of me to go around to accomplish everything that is required. To help everybody that’s hurting. To meet all the needs that I see around me. To answer the call the way I know you want me to.”

I think that’s precisely how the disciples felt on the evening the 5,000 were miraculously fed. The skies were quickly darkening after a long day of pouring out, meeting needs, and responding to desperate pleas for help. They must have been completely exhausted and depleted at that moment. I bet their feet ached. They were probably experiencing a little bit of compassion fatigue. They were most likely hungry themselves.

^“Now when it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, “This place is secluded and the hour is already past to eat; send the crowds away, so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves” (Matthew 16:15, NASB).”

Understandably, they wanted to send people away. They say, “That’s enough for today, Jesus. That’s all we’ve got! There isn’t anything left. Send them away to get what they need from someone else now.”

But Jesus didn’t think so. I suspect this was all part of His divine plan for that day.

Surprisingly, He said, “You give them something to eat (Matthew 16:16). And—don’t miss this— He commanded them to do this, fully understanding they didn’t have enough. Let that sink in. He knew they didn’t have what was needed to accomplish the request. I’m sure they felt completely frustrated and confused by the command much like we do sometimes. But notice —His follow-up command reveals the solution, His heart, and His desire.

“What do you have? Come here, bring it to me.”

They scoured crowds and came up with a meager five loves and two fish. They set it at His feet. You know the story from here. He blessed it, broke it, and began to hand it back to His followers to distribute. Notice the twelve baskets left over when the whole episode ends—one full basket for each one who felt there wasn’t enough to meet the need.

It’s not up to you to make something out of nothing. He’s simply asking you to acknowledge your limitations and draw near to the One who can.

So you’re right, friend. Sometimes, there isn’t enough. He knows what He’s asking is bigger than your capacity. And that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be. Things have been intentionally orchestrated that way because Jesus wants you to know it’s not about your capacity at all. It’s not up to you to make something out of nothing. He’s simply asking you to acknowledge your limitations and draw near to the One who can.

Jesus wants you to place all you are and all you have in His hands, knowing it’s not enough and trusting that He can multiply what is lacking. He’s asking you to scour your life. To look around you and within yourself. Everything about where you are has been divinely appointed. Your job, home and family, social circle and skills, and energy level. Come to Him, and bring everything you’ve got. Because when there isn’t enough, HE. IS. ENOUGH.

Are you crying out in desperation today, like those disciples? Then, listen to the voice of our inexhaustible God. If you trust Him instead of resisting what doesn’t make sense, He’ll allow you to be His agent in the miraculous work only He can do. Can you hear His voice?

“Bring it to me. Bring it to me and watch me multiply it. Watch me provide through it. And then hold the abundance that is left in your hands to remind you always that I am faithful. I am enough. There is always more than enough, with Me.”