To all who feel overwhelmed or who are tempted to take a much too critical look at their lives and feel insignificant . . . take heart!
Centuries ago a little boy found himself in the midst of a vast crowd of people---larger than any group he'd ever seen. He had come out of curiosity, having heard that a man named Jesus was nearby.
Not knowing how far he would have to travel or how long he would be gone, the boy had packed a small lunch for himself, a couple of small fish and some bread.
Suddenly a man tapped the lad on the shoulder and asked what he had in his hand. And the next thing the boy knew, his lunch was feeding over five thousand people!
Once Jesus got hold of the boy's simple meal there was no limit to what He could make of it.
Maybe you've fallen into a well of comparison, and you're drowning in discouragement because "compared to ______" you're not making nearly the difference he or she is. It seems you're surrounded by folks getting giant things done while it's all you can do to make it through the week?
Feeling a little overwhelmed? Don’t. God’s only expectation of you is to simply “do what you can!” When we compare our life and situation to the lives and situations of others, we gain only a distorted perspective.
The Apostle Paul attempted to drive this idea home to some rather discouraged and overwhelmed believers in the church at Corinth by putting it this way:
“Not that we [have the audacity to] venture to class or [even to] compare ourselves with some who exalt and furnish testimonials for themselves! However, when they measure themselves with themselves and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding and behave unwisely” [2 Corinthians 10:12 Amplified].
We crown quantity and ability as the preferred virtues of achievement. God, however, checkmates these selections with availability and faithfulness. And doing what you can! More is accomplished by stepping than leaping. Jesus observed that a widow woman’s “one penny offering” was of far more significance than the offerings of hundreds and thousands. How? Because she did what she could. All she could. And she did it well!
Don’t give in to the temptation to take a much too critical look at your life and conclude with your feelings “all or most of what I am is insignificant”. Once Jesus got hold of the boy's simple meal there was no limit to what He could make of it. If Jesus could do that with a simple meal, imagine what He could do with a life completely presented to Him?
How will I ever know? Do what you can!