One Hundred Percent
Do you ever feel like you are not enough or like there isn’t enough of you to go around to all the things that you are responsible for or need to do? Or, maybe you do get every area and keep things moving, but even if someone tells you that you are doing a good job, you think to yourself, “I could have done better…” if you weren’t divided over other things. Maybe you are a busy wife and mama trying to maintain a house, raise your kids, and have time with your husband. Is something falling through? Maybe you're in a season of work which easily consumes you and leaves little time for the other relationships and things in your life. You might be a student whose days are filled with trying to balance out school and homework with life. Wherever you are, you may find yourself called in many different directions, and sometimes, it can get discouraging when you feel like the best you have to give isn’t enough.
For me, I know I have a tendency to feel guilty when I’m not 100% - 100% of the time. I want to be able to give my all in everything that I do. What I’ve heard, and often have to remind myself, is that this is not always possible. I can’t give:
100% to my job
100% to ministry
100% to family
100% to friends
100% to school, or anything else that I’ve committed to.
I don’t have 100% to give to any one of those areas. You can try to give and give and give, but you will never be able to put everything into all of those areas that you want to. You might look at what is in your hand and say, “all I have is this little _______” and then look to where you can give that to the greatest benefit. It is here I think about the little boy in John 6.
“When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.” John 6:5-13 (NIV)
Verse 9 introduces the boy and his small offering. On his own, he could have fed a few people. But when it was offered to Jesus and he blessed it, it not only fed the multitude, but it satisfied them. They were filled. I wonder what that boy was thinking with the little offering he had. I think about the wonder that must have filled him to watch as that little offering was multiplied out to the crowd and feeding them all. Can you imagine what it must have been like?
What I have learned is that when I give my 100% to God, he takes my little lunch - my 2 fish and 5 loaves, if you will, and he multiplies that back.
No, I can’t give my everything to every area of my life, but I can give 100% to God, and he can multiply and distribute that back. What we give to God, he can redeem and multiply beyond what we are capable of giving on our own. I’ve seen this in my own life.
So, when you feel like you are not giving enough in certain areas, make sure that you have given that area in your life to God. Bring that matter before Him and watch what happens when you serve him through it.
“Put your heart and soul into every activity you do, as though you are doing it for the Lord himself and not merely for others.” Colossians 3:23 (TPT)
Blessings!