Hope for Those Who Do Too Much! I’m So Over It, Week Two

Hope for Those Who Do Too Much! I’m So Over It, Week Two

by | Jul 27, 2026 | I'm So Over It, Letting Go, Overwhelm, Peace

Happy Monday, friends,
 
Wow! Lots of emails came in after last week’s kickoff of our I’m So Over It” series. Thank you for sharing your quiz scores and your resolve to overthink God instead of overthinking everything else. It was an honor to pray for you all!
Today is the second week of our series, and we’re tackling a topic that happens to be one of my personal struggles: OVERFUNCTIONING.
 
Do you overfunction? Not sure what that means or looks like? I created an overfunctioning quiz, but please don't beat yourself up! Happy Monday is a 100% grace place! We are all on this journey together. God sees us and loves us as we are. These self-assessments are invitations, not indictments on our worthiness or faith. Once you take the quiz, then invite God to speak as you read the rest of today’s devotion. Here’s the quiz:
How’d you do? Confession time: If I'm in an unhealthy place, I will hit the maximum score every time.  What about you? If we peel back the layers of overfunctioning, our doing-too-much dysfunction comes from a good place. As women, our goal is to protect what we love, fix what’s broken, and keep everyone and everything on track. However, when we’re not aware of our motives, we’re driven by guilt, or we’re afraid for any reason, our good intentions morph into unhealthy overfunctioning.
 
LET'S LEARN FROM AN OLD FRIEND
There’s a New Testament woman who was stressed because she was doing too much. We’ve covered her story in a past Happy Monday series, but let's look at her story again from a different perspective. Even if you know the story of Martha and Jesus, pay attention to Jesus’ compassionate but very insightful response to Martha’s frustration.
 
As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Luke 10:38 NLT
 
Notice that Martha welcomed Jesus and his entourage with open arms. This shows us Martha’s heart came from a good place. It’s so easy for us to be critical of Martha, but let’s not overlook her strengths. Some of us are Marthas. Even if you’re not, let’s appreciate:
 
It’s the Marthas who know how to cook and they remember to buy all of our favorite breakfast foods.
 
It’s the Marthas who spread the good-smelling sheets on the beds, and they love making sure everyone is taken care of.
 
I point these reminders out so we don’t overlook the good in Martha. However, here’s where Martha lost herself:
 
But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. -Luke 10:40 NLT
 
So any of us could relate to Martha's to-do list and her angst, but chances are Martha was doing more than needed because of her personal motives. In the midst of doing good things, Martha lost sight of her identity as a child of God.
 
This happens to so many of us. We make taking care of others our life’s purpose. Taking care of others can give us purpose, but let’s not confuse caring for others as our sole sense of purpose or identity. Our identity is God's child, not taking care of others or a specific job. Too many of us hace attached our identity to what we do for others -  or worse yet, taking over for people who should be taking care of themselves.
 
This is why Jesus says the following to our friend, Martha:
 
There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her. -Luke 10:40 NLT
 
Yes, Jesus affirmed Mary’s desire to sit and learn at his feet. At the same time, Jesus included a reminder to Mary that she was more than what she could do for others. Martha needed to know that she didn’t need to earn her self-worth by serving others. As I wrote in Stronger Than Stress, God created us as human be-ings, not human doings. Just being a child of God is always enough.
 
MY OVERFUNCTIONING A-HA MOMENT
For so many years, I performed Christianity because I felt like God would love me to the extent that I did things that made Him happy. But, this error in understanding grace led to faith where I was always doing for God like Martha, but struggling to sit with God like Mary.
 
I transferred this overfunctioning mindset into my relationships. It seemed to work when I was a young wife and mother. My good intentions became dysfunctional when my then-spouse struggled with alcohol addiction.  When I felt my marriage slipping away, I kicked into overfunctioning overdrive. I’d checked every one of those on the quiz. And I was miserable because I was doing too much out of fear and a desire to fix what only God could handle.
 
The a-ha moment came when I began attending a family addiction support group meeting back in 2016 and learned one important slogan that has helped me so much:
 
"Keep your eyes on your own hula-hoop."
 
This means that I need to take care of the things that I’m responsible for. Then, I need to be aware of not inserting myself into things that God is responsible for, which is other people and circumstances beyond my control. I learned how to do less to make room for God to do more.
 
Where do you need to “keep your eyes on your own hula hoop”? If you’re not sure, look back at that quiz.
 
ASK THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU OVERFUNCTION
There are certain phrases that overfunctioners tend say. I've listed a few below. If you recognize these, consider where God maybe prompting you to back off because you're doing to much. Take this pause seriously because you maybe jumping into territory that are actually where God is working and you maybe getting in the way.
 
1. Instead of automatically saying “Don't worry, I’ve got it.”
Ask: Should someone else take care of this, especially if I am tired or I haven’t been consistent with time with God or my own self-care?
2. Instead of saying, “I’ll take care of it.”  
Ask: Am I responsible for this, or am I overstepping where someone else should be taking the lead instead of me?
3. Instead of  saying“No problem, I want to do it.”
Ask: Am I doing it because I like feeling needed, or am I afraid that someone won’t do it as I would?
 
I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! What was your score on today's quiz? You can hit reply and let me know. Could you relate to Martha's story today? If so, I'd love to hear about it, or you can leave a comment with “Do Less” and I'll know today's devotion resonated with you.

Read the Entire Series: God, I'm So Over It! Letting Go of Things That God Never Asked You to Carry

Week One: Do You Overthink? 

Week Three: Do You Often Take Matters Into Your Own Hands?

Week Four: Are You Overloaded with Too Much?

Week Five: My Two Favorite Tools to Prevent Doing Too Much!

Do You Overthink? I’m So Over It, Week One

Do You Overthink? I’m So Over It, Week One

by | Jul 20, 2026 | I'm So Over It, Letting Go, Overwhelm, Peace

Happy Monday everyone,
 
Today is the kickoff of our new series called “I’m So Over It!” This series aims to tackle the four ways we experience overwhelm. Put a mental checkmark on the one(s) that you can relate to. We’ll address one of these each week with scriptural wisdom:
  • Overthinking - Trying to control situations with our thinking, but unable to make decisions
  • Overfunctioning - Taking on people and things we’re not responsible for
  • Obsessing - Fixing our expectations on a specific outcome
  • Overloaded - Shouldering more than we can handle
Let me add this: There’s nothing wrong or sinful in experiencing overwhelm. There’s no need to beat ourselves up or feel ashamed.  However, when we know we're struggling, that’s when we must realize that God is trying to get our attention. God promises freedom, but our part is to allow God to work in us because far too many of us are holding on to things God has never asked us to carry.
 
TODAY’S TOPIC: OVERTHINKING!
 
Do you overthink? Not sure? Here’s a fun, but helpful temperature check. Count how many apply to you - and feel free to hit reply and tell me your score. Note…please don’t overthink this exercise. Make sure to keep reading for today’s teaching!
Today, let’s look at the story of an Old Testament man that I consider an overthinker in the Bible by the name of Gideon. The words “overthinker” or “overthinking” are not specifically mentioned in his story. However, as we focus on Gideon’s story, he’s rocking an overthinking vibe, for sure!
 
You can read Gideon’s story in Judges 6. We’re introduced to his situation before we meet him. The Israelites are in the Promised Land, and their leader Joshua is dead. Sadly, God’s people broke their promise to serve God with their whole hearts. So, God allowed attackers to go after the Israelites. Judges 6:6 sums up the dire nature of the situation:
 
So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help. -Judges 6:6 NLT
 
Afterward, God sent a prophet to tell the people that they’d messed up by worshiping other gods. He also set a rescue plan in motion. An angel (whom we’ll later see is God) visits a man named Gideon who is hiding in a winepress. Pay attention to how the angel greets Gideon and keep this in mind as we read Gideon’s later responses:
 
The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!” -Judges 6:12 NLT
 
There are two important pieces of information in that greeting: First, Gideon is called a hero, and the angel says that God is with him. Now, at the time, this goes right over Gideon’s head. He is hiding in a winepress, trying to secure food that the Midianites can’t steal. Gideon also feels pretty sure that God has abandoned His people. We can see that Gideon is skeptical of the angel’s words because of the hardship.
 
Undaunted, the angel (who we learn is actually God) tells Gideon about the mission: he will rescue Israel from the Midianites. Best of all, the angel assures Gideon that no special skills are required:
 
Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” -Judges 6:14 NLT
 
God’s words should have made Gideon excited! Here was a chance for a powerless Gideon to set out with God’s power to free the Israelites. Instead of climbing out of the winepress and shouting “Let’s gooooo,” Gideon had a “But.”
 
“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” -Judges 6:15 NLT
 
God gave Gideon a promise and Gideon’s first word back to God was a “but.” Sometimes, “but” is a polite way of saying, “nope.” God has told the man to go, and Gideon’s brain spit out not one but TWO reasons that God’s promises couldn’t be true.
  
WHAT’S YOUR “BUT, GOD?”
 
How many of us struggle to trust what we read about God in the Bible?  We second-guess God’s unconditional love or His promises to forgive. Some of you who believe in God’s love or grace at 99%. It’s true for you 99% of the time, but there’s that 1% that you’re not sure about. So you question it, you’re anxious about it, which means you never fully rest in it.
 
Here’s what I’ve learned about overthinking…Often, the roots of our constant rethinking stretch back to our younger years, when we tried to figure out how to meet our needs for safety, love, or belonging. We spent those years paying attention to what drew attention, what was rewarded, or what we needed to avoid. So, we became pros at scrutinizing every single detail.  
 
What made us feel safe as kids can make it challenging to trust God as an adult.  We’re so used to picking apart, second-guessing, or being skeptical that we struggle with trusting God. We pick up our Bibles, we look at verses about God’s love, grace, or the promise of His presence, and we have our own “But God” issues.
 
Look at the first five words of God’s response to Gideon’s overthinking error:
 
The Lord said to him, “I will be with you. And you will destroy the Midianites as if you were fighting against one man.” -Judges 6:16 NLT
 
Once again, God assures Gideon that He will be with him. God promised Himself. I will be with you. It’s the same promise we experience in the Person of Jesus Christ, our Emmanuel, which is that God is with us. For all of the reasons why Gideon didn’t think success was possible, God reminded him that those reasons didn’t matter because God was with him.
 
I encourage you to read Gideon’s story in Judges 6. After a few more false starts, Gideon finally set out on the campaign to rescue God’s people. But, Gideon kept asking God for reassurance that he was on the right track. He kept coming up with reasons that kept him from believing God’s promise to be with him.
 
Can you relate?
 
A CHALLENGE FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF OVERTHINKING!
 
Instead of overthinking negative thoughts, catastrophizing, or trying to control, I’d like to challenge you to think differently. It's time to drop our “but's” and fully embrace what God says is true. Here's the challenge: What if we committed to overthinking God’s presence and His provision? 
 
If we're overthinking other things, then we're underthinking God. Let's flip that! When we’re overthinking God, we’re fixed and focused on God's presence and power. Here’s a short list of what that means for me and you:
 
God promises peace in every situation. (Philippians 4:7)
God promises grace upon grace. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
He promises strength to endure. (Romans 5:3-5)
He promises divine wisdom when it’s needed. (James 1:5)
God promises unconditional love. (Romans 8:39)
 
Who's going to overthink God with me this week? I dare you to try it! Whenever you catch yourself puzzling over a conversation, text message, big problem or frustration, shift to my list about God’s promise to be with you and overthink that.
 
For me, overthinking shows up most often in situations where I feel out of control or where I'm feeling rejected. So, overthinking about God in those situations replaces my fears and sadness with God's peace and His love. That feels way better than all those negative thoughts!
 
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
If you’re an overthinker, this isn’t a switch you can flip off without God’s help. Here are some spiritual practices that I’ve done and God’s Spirit helped me to let go of a lot of overthinking:  
 
  1. God Morning/God Night Technique - This is easy! Write five promises of God on a notecard and set it by your bed. (I also taped a card to my bathroom mirror.) Read those promises each morning and each night to train your mind to meditate on God, not your problems. Here’s a resource on this.
  2. Journaling - Writing down your thoughts helps you notice where you’re overthinking and where you need to invite God in to help you stop fixing things in your mind.
  3. Ask yourself these clarifying questions: Is this a situation or problem that I need to solve right now? Is this my problem to solve, or do I need to surrender it to God?
 
I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! What was your score on the “Are You An Overthinker”? You can leave a comment and let me know. If you need to let God work on your overthinking this week, just message me with “Overthinker” and I can pray with you this week.

Read the Entire Series: God, I'm So Over It! Letting Go of Things That God Never Asked You to Carry

Week Two: Hope for Those Who Do Too Much! 

Week Three: Do You Often Take Matters Into Your Own Hands?

Week Four: Are You Overloaded with Too Much?

Week Five: My Two Favorite Tools to Prevent Doing Too Much!

A Biblical Path to Healing From Racial Trauma | Interview with Sheila Wise Rowe

A Biblical Path to Healing From Racial Trauma | Interview with Sheila Wise Rowe

by | Jul 20, 2026 | Bold Brave & Beautiful Podcast

In this powerful and hope-filled conversation, Barb speaks with counselor, spiritual director, and author Sheila Wise Rowe about her book Seeds of Racial Healing: Fifty-Two Devotions for Navigating Through Trauma. With over thirty years of experience counseling trauma survivors and ministering to marginalized communities, Sheila offers a deeply compassionate, trauma-informed approach to addressing both personal and systemic racism through the lens of Scripture.

They talk about how racial trauma impacts the body and soul, why rest and resilience are essential for Christians of color, and how being rooted in God’s Word can nurture healing and justice. 

If you are seeking Christian encouragement, spiritual formation, and practical tools for navigating racial trauma, this conversation offers hope, wisdom, and a path toward renewal.

 

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE

Connect with Sheila on Facebook

Connect with Sheila on Instagram

Seeds of Racial Healing: Fifty-Two Devotions for Navigating Through Trauma

Visit Sheila's Website

 

ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Sheila Wise Rowe (MEd, Cambridge College) has over thirty years of experience offering counseling and spiritual direction to individuals, couples, leaders, and trauma survivors. Sheila also spent a decade ministering to unhoused and abused women, children, and youth in Johannesburg, South Africa, where she was a lay pastor and taught Christian counseling and trauma-related courses. Sheila is a speaker, trainer, and writer, authoring the award-winning Healing Racial Trauma and Young, Gifted, and Black. She and her husband, Nicholas Rowe, live in Boston, Massachusetts, and coauthored Healing Leadership Trauma.

Experience Life-Transforming Power of Prayer

Pray Like This Bible Study by Barb Roose

As a Christian, you know you’re supposed to pray. But do you ever find yourself wrestling with any of these questions related to prayer?

Do I have to pray the right way for God to answer my prayer?

Do I have to pray the right way for God to answer my prayer?

Am I still praying if I read pre-written prayers?

If you’ve pondered these questions or others about prayer, my Pray Like Bible Study is for you.

Even if you're a prayer warrior, Pray Like This sharpens your prayer focus and is a great resource for you to teach others about prayer.There's a reason why Jesus was passionate about prayer and I want to show you how!

Click Here
The Topic That I Tried to Skip Writing About… Loaves & Fishes Week Six

The Topic That I Tried to Skip Writing About… Loaves & Fishes Week Six

by | Jul 13, 2026 | Loaves & Fishes, Provision, Trust

​Happy Monday, friends!

 
Welp, this isn’t how I planned to wrap up our Loaves & Fishes series. I’ve skipped over this story on my Loaves & Fishes planning list because it hits close to home for many of us. Yet when I prayed about what to prepare for you, I felt prompted to write this story - maybe God wanted me to write it for me. I suspect that some of you will resonate with it as well. Today's devotion reminds us that as we’re praying for God’s provision, we must avoid a critical mistake after we receive it.
 
The theme of today’s devotion is this: Never take God’s provision for granted.
 
In the Old Testament book of Numbers, the Israelites were upset about God's solution to their food problem. After freeing them from slavery in Egypt, God sent literal food from heaven every single day for them. Many of us are familiar with this well-known story, but if you aren’t, I wrote about this miraculous provision in the first week of the Loaves & Fishes series that you can read here.
 
While Exodus 16 provides an introduction to the arrival of manna, Numbers 11 offers more specifics about this heaven-sent food. Pay attention to the description of manna and the different ways the Israelites could prepare it:
 
The people would go out and gather it from the ground. They made flour by grinding it with hand mills or pounding it in mortars. Then they boiled it in a pot and made it into flat cakes. These cakes tasted like pastries baked with olive oil. -Numbers 11:8 NLT
 
First, remember that God provided home delivery - how cool is that?! Next, there was a process to preparing the manna, which offered the Israelites a daily routine and a sense of purpose. We forget that God’s provision is often tied to meaningful work and a chance to serve others - which was also good for the Israelites' emotional and mental health.
 
The problem arose when the people grew tired of manna.  Instead of seeing it as God's gift of provision, they began to take the manna for granted. They stopped being grateful for it. This happens to us as well. Some of us take our jobs or even our family for granted. We stop seeing these as gifts (remember, gifts don't have to be perfect or problem-free to still be a gift). The dark side of assuming that someone or something will always be there is that we begin to compare it, we'll critique it - and often complain about it.
 
Ever heard the saying “familiarity breeds contempt?" This describes what happened next in Numbers. Check out the Israelites' complaints. Pay attention to how they romanticized their time back in Egypt:
 
“Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. “We remember the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic we wanted.  But now our appetites are gone. All we ever see is this manna!” -Numbers 11:4b-6 NLT
 
So that’s how they remembered Egypt? How quickly they forgot the beatings, nonstop labor, and brutal control? Many of those mothers had freshly empty arms from the babies that the Pharaoh ordered to be killed. But, they chose to complain about heaven-sent manna?
 
As much as I want to roll my eyes at the Israelites’ complaining, I am them. They are me.
 
How many of us begged God for a particular dream, job, home, spouse, or kids? Then, years later, we’re complaining about the burdens that come with great blessings. Trust me, I’ve complained, too.
 
If you’ve been grumpy about your blessings or complaining about life, let’s invite God to do some business in our hearts. Then, I’ll share two great ways to step out of your rut of complaining.
 
First, we can acknowledge pain, loss, grief, or disappointment. We don’t have to minimize or deny it.
 
However,  there is a difference between acknowledging and complaining.
Acknowledgment recognizes the facts. If your company withholds your pay, you should acknowledge that and the harm it causes. If your medical condition is painful or you're afraid for the future, it’s okay to be scared.  For those caring for loved ones, you can acknowledge the overwhelm and exhaustion.  
 
Complaining is different. When we take the facts and add negativity or blame, there's an unspoken, but implied allegation that God isn't treating us right or that He's gotten something wrong. This is why regular  complaining is a warning sign for our spirits. Yes, it's tough in our world, but you here today by the grace of God and He will not fail you..
 
God takes complaining seriously. In my humble opinion, complaining is the decaf of bitterness. As Christians, we know full-on bitterness is bad, but we’re willing to allow grumbling to slide. But, God takes complaining seriously.
 
In the Israelites’ situation, they groused about the lack of meat, so God sent a wind filled with quail. The Israelites were delighted! However, instead of gathering what they needed, they filled Costco-sized shopping carts of birds, grabbing far more than needed. They stuffed their mouths and stomachs like starving people without a God who took care of them. The result was tragic because God allowed a food borne illness of some type that killed significant numbers of people.
 
You want to know a kicker to this entire situation? God never prohibited the Israelites from hunting for meat! They could have gone hunting at any time. But their negativity consumed any productive or problem-solving conversations. A tragedy all around.
 
Like I said, this wasn’t the way that I wanted to end our Loaves & Fishes series, but if we’re praying for God’s provision in our lives - no matter what it is - then we must be mindful of how we behave after God’s blesses us.
 
Did today's devotion grab your attention? Is God prompting you to shift from negativity to remember His kindness to you? Give yourself a few moments to reflect.
 
REFLECTION & APPLICATION:
  1. Do you give in to your complaints for just a moment, or do your complaints have momentum? Meaning, do you interrupt yourself when you realize that you’re complaining, or has complaining become a habit?
Do This: If complaining is a habit, I’d love for you to check out my dear friend Melissa Spoelstra’s 7-Day Contentment Project (here). Her fabulous challenge involves wearing a bracelet on your wrist that you switch from side to side. This helps you become more aware of when you’re complaining.
 
2.  WORSHIP MUSIC - Music that focuses on God’s power or grace reminds us that we’re held by a loving, powerful God! For me, a worship song a day helps keep constant complaining away! Friend, if you complain either in your mind or to others, it’s time to talk less and worship more! Check out my Spotify worship playlist here!
 
I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you needed today’s devotion, leave a comment with “no complaining!” Of course, you’re welcome to tell me more - especially if today’s devotion resonated with you.

HAPPY MONDAY READER'S LOAVES & FISHES STORY!

I love this Loaves & Fishes story from Jenny, a Happy Monday reader:
 
I remember that I looked at what we had in the fridge & cupboard, I did not have all that was needed for the next day. I did have some food, but not enough pennies to buy both bread and milk. At 7pm, there was a knock on my door. It was a neighbour, who I only knew a little. She recalled that I had been a nurse and asked if I would have a look at her son's big toe. I went and looked. The toe looked broken so I sent them to A&E (Emergency Room). 
 
The next morning, that neighbour showed up with two large loaves of homemade bread as a thank you! It was amazing!! A big thank you Lord, I then had enough pennies to buy the milk we needed for the day! The bread was very yummy! A small need, but a God who heard & cared & provided.

Read the Entire Series: Loaves & Fishes Stories Of Trusting God's Provision In Uncertain Times!

God Provides. Are You Willing to Ask for Help? Loaves & Fishes Week Five

God Provides. Are You Willing to Ask for Help? Loaves & Fishes Week Five

by | Jul 6, 2026 | Loaves & Fishes, Provision, Trust

Happy Monday, dear friends!
 
We’re continuing our summer series, Loaves & Fishes. We're exploring stories of God's provision to remind us how our Abba Father cares for us and invites us trust Him, even in uncertain or tough times.
 
In today's Old Testament story, God comes through in a powerful way for a woman who was about to lose her sons. We'll also address a very important secondary lesson that you may need today as well. Don't miss it!
 
In 2 Kings 4, we’re introduced to an unnamed widow. We find out her late husband was a prophet, a messenger for God. She comes to the prophet Elisha, a powerful figure in the Old Testament with a desperate plea: 
 
‘My husband who served you is dead, and you know how he feared the Lord. But now a creditor has come, threatening to take my two sons as slaves.” -2 Kings 4:2 NLT
 
According to Jewish law, if someone was in debt, their family members could be taken as payment and forced into labor. So, this woman was about to lose her sons. 
 
The widow was not only grieving, but also overwhelmed by the inability to pay her debt, and now the fear of more loss. Ancient women didn't have their own money, social security, or government assistance. Therefore, losing her sons would be tragic on several levels. In addition to the familial bond, those sons would have been her future financial support, potentially keeping her from becoming destitute.
 
Can you relate to the downward domino effect of her life? Often, it's not one thing that goes wrong, it feels like everything goes wrong! Those seasons seem overwhelming. We're not sure what to do and often, we become discouraged and afraid.
 
This is why I love Elisha’s response to the woman's outcry:
 
“What can I do to help you?” Elisha asked. “Tell me, what do you have in the house? “Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil,” she replied.” -2 Kings 4:2 NLT
 
Bless him! Elisha didn’t tell the woman to calm down or minimize her problems. He gave her a voice and asked what she needed. Then Elisha posed a question similar to the one that Jesus asked the overwhelmed disciples before he performed the miracle that fed 5,000 people: "What do you have?"
 
In fact, the miracle that follows for this woman has a similar vibe to Jesus’ feeding the five thousand. Just like the little boy only had two fish and five loaves, the woman only had a flask of oil - it wasn't much. However, there's nothing too little for God to work with!
 
Pay attention to what Elisha told her to do. Also, notice everyone (underlined) involved in what happens next:
 
And Elisha said, “Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors. Then go into your house with your sons and shut the door behind you. Pour olive oil from your flask into the jars, setting each one aside when it is filled.”
 
So she did as she was told. Her sons kept bringing jars to her, and she filled one after another. Soon every container was full to the brim!
 
First, God didn't show the needed provision all at once. As the widow poured from what she had, God made the miracle happen. (Remember the devotion of the feeding of 5,000 - same vibe!)
 
Here’s the final result: Her little flask of oil was poured until every jar was filled. Then, Elisa gave her these instructions:
 
“Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on what is left over. -2 Kings 4:7 NLT
 
Not only did God provide enough for her debts to keep her sons from slavery, but also, there was enough for their future. Look at God!
 
THE SECONDARY LESSON WE CAN’T MISS!
 
God performed this miracle, but the fullness of her provision came through her willingness to step out in faith and ask others for help.
 
Elisha told the widow that she needed to borrow as many empty jars as she could from friends and neighbors. It wasn’t like the widow had money to buy extra jars from Target or HomeGoods. Going to friends and neighbors would have meant telling them about her true circumstances. There would have been awkward questions, maybe even embarrassment, gossip, or shame.
 
Imagine if she’d only gone to one or two friends. I can’t say for sure, but I think God would still have performed the miracle, though she may have missed out God's very best planned for her.
 
Most of us prefer to help others, and we’d rather not need help. But, we all need help at times!
 
If you’ve done my Surrendered Bible study, there's story on page 146 about when my girlfriends asked to help me move out due to my then-spouse’s out-of-control alcohol addiction. I didn’t want their help. I was embarrassed. My family was falling apart and I  needed  to move from my large home into a two-bedroom apartment. Even though the move was too big for me to handle with my kids, I thought that I could deal with it so no one would be around to see me fall apart. 
 
My dear girlfriends were gently persistent. Two weeks before the move, there was a breakthrough moment during my time with God. Here’s how I wrote about it in my Surrendered study: 
 
“I felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit. I felt a whisper that sounded like “Are you going to make this about you? When your daughters look back on that difficult day, they need to remember that they saw the hands and feet of Jesus loving and taking care of them." 
 
In my efforts to control that day, I would rob my daughters of Jesus-loving friends and family who could love and serve them.”
 
That day, I said yes to my friends. Then, a group of men from my church’s Celebrate Recovery ministry also asked if they could help. I was still embarrassed, but grateful.  I said yes. At the end of moving day and an ocean of tears, one of the men said to me: “Years ago, I messed up my family. Helping you today healed something inside of me. So, thank you for letting me help you.”
 
To this day, I'm grateful that God sent friends to nudge me through my embarrassment and pride so that God could use them to bless us. It wasn't just how friends showed up to help us move, but they were there - present and praying for us before, during, and after.
 
REFLECTION QUESTION:
Dear friend, if you’ve been praying for God to provide AND good-hearted people are asking, do you need to say yes? If someone hasn’t asked, do you need to be courageous like the widow and ask** for help from those who have the capacity to help?
 
**Be wise about who you ask for help! Ask people who are most likely to follow-through and will not complain about helping. Avoid asking people who will shame/gossip or will expect something in return. 
 
TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Which part of the widow’s story made you smile or encouraged you? Leave a comment and tell me about how God has used others to miraculously bless you. 

Read the Entire Series: Loaves & Fishes Stories Of Trusting God's Provision In Uncertain Times!

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