Do you ever just feel done?
Over it?
Like you’ve got nothing left to offer?
As the momma to 3 kiddos, one with extra medical needs—I have found this to be a season where I feel absolutely torn.
On one hand, I feel more aware than ever of the purpose God is breathing into my heart. I feel so called to action. With everything in me I want to share, and give, and speak, and serve, and love in meaningful ways.
But, on the other hand…. How?!?!
Because many days I am just trying to MAKE IT. You feel me?
Like my priority is to first of all, keep the children alive. And you know, on the good days to also feed them something of nutritional value, and teach them good things, and take them outside for some fresh air.
Once I do these things, I can give some thought to investing in the running of the home—the cooking, and cleaning, meal planning and bill paying, doctors appointments and everyday tasks that must be complete to keep everything running smoothly.
And that’s it.
My offering to serve and love and help and share—it seems like such a feeble attempt.
Like all I have to give is just not even enough to be worth it. Can I get an amen from the mommas in the audience?!
And as I found myself revisiting this place again a specific Bible story came to mind.
The story of the bereaved widow. You’ll find this story in 2 Kings 4, but let me give you a little run down. It appears that this woman had recently lost her husband, as if the weight of that is not enough, she found herself in a scenario where she needed to repay his debts but was unable to. The Scripture doesn’t go into great detail, but I imagine perhaps this man was working to pay off his debts until the time of his death, but now with no one else in the home to help provide, the widow was left to it alone.
At this point, the widow approaches the prophet, Elisha, to ask what it is she should do in this situation.
In verse two, we see their interaction, “Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”
AHHH. You guys, I love this. Why? Because so often I am just like the widow and I feel God saying, “Tell me what do you have to give?”…. my response, “nothing, nothing at all.”
EXCEPT-- except, she did have something. It was small. Not enough. It was a seemingly insignificant amount in relation to what was needed, BUT she offered it anyways.
Just a small jar of oil. That’s it.
As the story goes in Scripture, Elisha instructed the woman to gather all the empty jars she could find, even to borrow them from friends and neighbors and to begin pouring that ONE small jar into the others.
This literally makes NO earthly sense, BUT hey, that’s kinda how God does things.
And wouldn’t you know it, the widow chose obedience.
As she did as Elisha has told her, that one small jar of oil multiplied, it continued to pour fourth, until every.single.jar she had gathered was filled to overflowing.
In her case, and her culture this was a valuable commodity and Scripture indicates that when she ran out of jars to pour into she had more than enough to pay her debt… and she was instructed to use the rest for her own livelihood.
So what’s my point?
You and I, much like the widow, may feel we have little left to give, BUT if we choose to offer it anyways…
If we choose to act in obedience to the calling which God has prepared for us…
If we just give him whatever we have, even when we know it’s NOT enough…
He is faithful--
To take our insignificant offering and keep it pouring fourth—to make it more than enough, if we’ll only trust Him with it.
May this become our prayer—that God would take the little we can give, and create abundance—just as He did for the widow.
Have you ever experienced God using your insignificant offering in a powerful way? I'd love to hear your story!
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I'm right there with you. I am a mom of triplets (GGB) who are in 5th grade. Right now, we are full of middle school prep, talk, etc. They had a tour for the students during the day and the parents that evening. There are two pages of basic clubs and activities they can choose. It's all very exciting and overwhelming. I just started an online Bible/book study with my girls and it is great, but I want to do the things with each one separately. So it is GOOD, so good, but more time in addition to what felt like a very full plate. Your summary of this story from the Bible came when I was feeling a…