Sunday Sermon: When What You Have Is Not Enough

by Minister Denise N. Fyffe

There are seasons when you look at what is in your hand and then look at what is required of you, and the two simply do not match. The bills are greater than the income. The responsibility is greater than your strength. The need is greater than the supply. You pray, calculate, rearrange, cut back and try again, but what you have still does not seem to be enough.

I know something about those seasons. I have written before about what I called my “trial by poverty”. There were periods in my life when unemployment, debt, medical expenses and ordinary daily needs collided. I knew what it was to wonder how things would be paid and how I would get through another season of lack. Yet, looking back, I can also testify that God did not forsake me. I did not always receive what I wanted when I wanted it, but again and again the Lord supplied what I needed.

That is why this message is not coming from someone who has never looked at an empty place and wondered what God was going to do. I have learned that sometimes God does not begin His miracle by showing us everything He is going to provide. Sometimes He begins by asking us to look again at the little that remains in our hands.

Scripture Focus

One of the clearest examples is found in 2 Kings 4:1–7. A widow cried out to Elisha because her husband had died and a creditor was coming to take her two sons. This was not a minor inconvenience. She was grieving, indebted and facing the possibility of losing her children because she could not satisfy the debt.

Elisha asked her a remarkable question: “Tell me, what do you have in the house?” (2 Kings 4:2, NKJV). Her answer was essentially: almost nothing. She had only a jar of oil.

But what she called little was enough for God to begin.

God Can Begin With What Remains

Elisha instructed the widow to borrow empty vessels from her neighbors—not a few—and then pour her oil into them. Imagine the faith required. She did not have barrels of oil hidden somewhere. She had one jar. Yet she obeyed. As she poured, the oil continued flowing until every available vessel was full. Only when there were no more vessels did the oil stop.

Then Elisha told her to sell the oil, pay her debt and live on the rest. God did not merely give her enough for that day’s meal. He addressed the debt threatening her household and provided a means for her family to continue living.

This story teaches us something important. Lack does not mean God has nothing to work with. We frequently look at our resources and decide what is possible based on arithmetic. God sees possibilities that are not contained within our calculations.

That does not mean we become irresponsible, refuse to budget or expect money to appear because we want it. Biblical faith is not financial recklessness. The widow had to obey instructions, gather vessels, pour the oil, sell it and pay her debt. There was faith, but there was also action and stewardship.

When the Last Meal Becomes the Beginning

We see a similar lesson in 1 Kings 17:8–16. During a severe drought, God sent Elijah to a widow in Zarephath. When Elijah met her, she was gathering sticks to prepare what she believed would be the final meal for herself and her son. She had only a handful of flour and a little oil.

Think about the desperation behind that statement. This mother was not planning next month’s groceries. She believed she and her child were approaching starvation. Yet God had already spoken concerning her situation before Elijah arrived.

Through Elijah came the promise that the bin of flour would not be used up and the jar of oil would not run dry until rain returned. First Kings 17:16 records that the flour was not used up and the oil did not run dry, according to the word of the Lord.

God supplied them through the famine.

Sometimes we expect provision to look like abundance arriving all at once. But God’s provision may also look like enough for today, followed by enough for tomorrow, followed by enough for the day after that. This is reminiscent of Israel’s manna in the wilderness. God taught His people to depend upon Him daily. Jesus later taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11, NKJV).

Daily bread requires daily trust.

Put the Little Into Jesus’ Hands

John 6 gives us another picture. Thousands of people had followed Jesus, and there was not enough food available to feed them. Andrew mentioned a boy who had five barley loaves and two small fish, but then asked the obvious question: “What are they among so many?” (John 6:9, NKJV).

That question sounds like many of ours. What is this salary against these bills? What is this small opportunity against this enormous need? What is this little strength against everything I must accomplish? What is this small ministry against such a hurting world?

Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks and distributed them. The people ate until they were filled, and twelve baskets of fragments remained.

The boy’s lunch did not become significant because it was large. It became significant because it was surrendered to Christ.

Do not despise what God has placed in your hand. Zechariah 4:10 warns against despising the day of small things. Your little may be a skill. It may be an idea. It may be a small amount of money. It may be one useful relationship, one open door, one hour available to pray, one opportunity to serve or one resource you have overlooked because it does not appear impressive.

Provision Does Not Always Arrive the Way We Expect

Throughout my own life, God has supplied needs through different channels. There were times He used people I knew and times He used strangers. There were times the answer came through employment, an opportunity, assistance, wisdom or simply the ability to endure until circumstances changed. I learned not to dictate to God how provision must arrive.

I have shared more of that journey in The Lord Shall Supply Your Needs. Philippians 4:19 remains precious: “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (NKJV).

Notice that Scripture points us toward God as the Source. A job can be a channel. A person can be a channel. A business can be a channel. An institution can be a channel. But we must be careful not to confuse the channel with the Source.

Matthew 6:31–33 reminds us not to live consumed by anxiety about what we will eat, drink or wear. Jesus points us toward our heavenly Father, who knows what we need, and then says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33, NKJV). I have written about this principle before in Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God. Seeking God first does not mean ignoring responsibilities. It means refusing to allow the need to become greater in our hearts than the God who sees the need.

What This Means for Us Today

If you are presently facing lack, begin by being truthful with God. Tell Him what you need. Philippians 4:6 teaches us to bring our requests to God by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Then examine what is already in your hand. Ask for wisdom. James 1:5 tells us that if anyone lacks wisdom, we should ask God. There may be an action you need to take, an expense you need to change, a skill you need to use, an application you need to submit, someone you need to contact or an opportunity you have dismissed because it looked too small.

Then refuse shame. Financial hardship does not determine your worth. Neither does unemployment, sickness, a struggling business or a difficult season. Your identity is not the number in your bank account. Your identity as a believer is rooted in Christ.

At the same time, when God has given us enough to help someone else, we should remember that sometimes we are the vessel through which He answers another person’s prayer. Proverbs 19:17 says that whoever has pity on the poor lends to the Lord. James 2:15–16 challenges believers who offer words to a brother or sister lacking food and clothing without helping with practical needs.

This is part of why the work of the RTCLM Foundation matters. Faith should move beyond words when God gives us the ability to help. We can pray for people and, where possible, also become part of God’s practical provision through education, nutrition, collaboration and compassionate service.

Be Encouraged

Beloved, perhaps what you have today really is not enough. I am not going to insult you by pretending every shortage is imaginary. Sometimes the numbers genuinely do not work. Sometimes the need is enormous. Sometimes you have exhausted your natural options.

But that is not the same as saying God has exhausted His.

The widow had a jar of oil. The widow of Zarephath had a handful of flour. A boy had five loaves and two fish. Israel had wilderness in every direction and still received manna. God repeatedly demonstrates that He is not intimidated by insufficiency.

Psalm 37:25 says, “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread” (NKJV). Hold on to God. Pray. Use wisdom. Work where you can. Receive help without shame when you need it. Give when God enables you. And never despise the little that remains.

Continue Your Study

Continue with The Lord Shall Supply Your Needs for a deeper study of God’s provision, and revisit Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God for another personal testimony about trusting God through lack.

For days when you need help finding the words to pray through hardship, 101 Prayers for Today offers prayers for strength, peace and purpose in real-life struggles.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, I bring before You every person reading this message who is looking at a need greater than what they possess. You see the bills, the empty cupboards, the medical needs, the school expenses, the housing concerns, the unemployment, the business pressures and the responsibilities they have told no one about. Lord, You know what is in their house and what is in their hand.

Give them wisdom to recognize the resources, abilities and opportunities You have already provided. Open doors that no man can shut. Send help according to Your will. Protect them from desperation, exploitation, foolish decisions and shame. Teach them stewardship and obedience. Where multiplication is needed, provide. Where employment is needed, make a way. Where wisdom is needed, speak clearly. Where another believer can become Your vessel of provision, move that person’s heart to obey.

And Father, when You provide, help us remember You. Make us generous, grateful and faithful. May we never worship the blessing and forget the Blesser. We place our little into Your hands and trust You with what we cannot do ourselves. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

The Invitation

There is a need greater than money, food, employment or any material provision. We need reconciliation with God. Jesus asked, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26, NKJV).

If you have never surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, do not wait until every other problem is solved. Romans 5:8 tells us that God demonstrated His love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Acts 3:19 calls us to repent and be converted, and Romans 10:9 teaches that if you confess the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

If you once walked with God but have drifted away, come home. Confess your sins. Ask God to forgive you. Place your faith in Jesus Christ and surrender your life to Him again. Do not allow shame or disappointment with people to keep you separated from the One who gave His life for you.

Be encouraged. Be bold. Answer the Call.

In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

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About the writer:

Minister Denise N. Fyffe is a devoted Christian, author, and servant of God, whose life is guided by her faith and values. Since accepting Jesus Christ at a young age, she has made it her mission to share her journey and knowledge of the Bible with others. In addition to her passion for writing, Fyffe is actively involved in community outreach, Christian mentorship, and ministering the Word of God.