Dreaming is an amazing thing; hope is something that gives our soul reason to breathe. God gives us this ability to dream and to see things that aren’t right now. But it’s often hard to see into the future; it’s hard to see what hasn’t already happened. So, how do we create these dreams? Where do we begin?
First, you have to look at what God’s already given you and go from there. God only works with what we have. Not money we don’t own, a talent we haven’t developed, a building we don’t have. Rather, God works with what you already have.
What is in your hand?
In the book of 2 Kings, a widow sets out to find Elisha. Her husband had been a prophet and served with Elisha. But after he passes, creditors come to take her sons away. She needs money, and she needs it now. So she turns to the prophet Elisha.
Elisha doesn’t panic. He simply asks two questions. “What can I do to help?” and “What do you have in the house?”
It’s the second question that captures my attention. He didn’t come up with a bunch of different ways to make money; he didn’t give her ten ideas to try. He asked her simply, “What do you already have?”
What Do You Already Have?
The widow doesn’t own much; all she has is a single flask of oil. Elisha nods because that’s enough. He tells her to collect as many jars as she can from her neighbors and then start pouring out the oil into those jars.
This process is interesting:
1. She has to find something she already has.
2. Then she has to do the work of collecting the vessels and talking her neighbors into letting her borrow those vessels and then pouring oil into all those vessels.
3. As she’s doing it, God takes her little and increases it.
How does that process work for us?
The Process
1. We spend the time to find out what we already have. Sometimes, it comes easy; sometimes it takes a little bit more work. Figure out what talents and abilities you have, what passions you have, what things God has already put in your hand.
2. Then get to work. Work hard at whatever God has gifted you with or whatever he has put in your hand.
3. Then watch as God blesses that work and uses it to provide for you as well as others.
What She Already Had
Elijah worked in the parameters of what the woman had. He was able to bless what she had, not something she didn’t possess.
Sometimes, we convince ourselves that God can only bless us when…when we get the money, when we own that building, when we start that career, build that retirement fund, etc. But we often forget that God works with what we already have.
The woman in our story had a little oil and the ability to collect jars from neighbors. For Moses, it was a rod. With David, it was a slingshot. For Samson, it was his strength. For Joshua, it was brilliant mind for battle strategy. The little boy in the New Testament had a lunch.
Small Beginnings
Don’t underestimate what God can do with your life with what you already have; don’t underestimate small beginnings.
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.
Zachariah 4:10
God can make something out of the little you have when you allow him to. What do you already have?
Encouragement
For more encouragement, check out my post, What’s in Your Hand? A great book to get you thinking about what you could do is Money Making Mom.
