Nothing is Wasted

John 6:12 NLT After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, ‘Now gather the leftovers; let nothing be wasted.’

The problem seemed insurmountable, and disciples were freaking out. A crowd of thousands looking for food; a need that was far beyond their ability. Assuming the problem was unsolvable, they began to worry about money and their limited resources, all thoughts that were focused on themselves.

How many times have each of us worried and panicked when we saw a need or received instructions from God that were greater than our abilities or supply? When sudden expenses exceed the budget, when a family crisis exceeds our ability to solve it, when the need is so great that anything you can do seems inconsequential. Instead of caving under the anxiety about how massive the need is, we can simply bring all we have to God and let Him handle the results.

Whenever God gives a vision or a task to be done, He also provides the provision to complete it. Jesus miraculously provided not just a solution but, in abundance, more than was needed to solve the problem. Everyone ate "their fill," from the Greek word eneplēsthēsan, which refers to being satisfied, full, or satiated. Every person in that massive crowd was able to eat until their hunger was gone. It all started as a young boy's lunch, not even enough to feed the disciples. Yet, in the hands of Jesus, what seemed small and insignificant became so abundant that there were leftovers.  “Do not despise small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” Zechariah 4:10 NLT. When we focus on seeking God, spending time in His presence, casting all of our cares and worries on Him, and trusting Him for the results, we will never leave unfulfilled or unsatisfied.

Our life is the culmination of experiences, some good and some bad. God uses every one of them to mold and shape us, to create our unique story of His unending mercy and grace, His immeasurable love, goodness, and faithfulness. Every step of life, every event, and every decision can be used by God to move us closer to Him, to open our eyes to see Him for who He really is. No matter how broken and fragmented your life seems, be like the young boy and bring what we have to the Father, He will do the rest. Nothing is wasted.

There is nothing so small that it escapes the notice of God. Everything matters to Him. Not only does it matter, but He promises that every part of our life will be used for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28). God uses our grief, our joy, our loss, our gain, our failures, and our victories. Even the smallest events have their place in God’s plan for us individually and for His church. God is masterfully creating your life story to express His never-ending love for you. A story of encouragement that only you can share with those He brings across your path. 1 Corinthians 13:9-12 tells us we may never fully understand some of life’s events until we stand in God’s presence: “Now our knowledge is partial, incomplete, and we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.” We can find rest and joy that God promises this: nothing is wasted.

Knowing this enables us to fulfill the shortest commandment in scripture, “Rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16 NIV). Every moment and in every interaction with people, we can rejoice because God is at work. Every moment can be used by God for something truly significant. Trust him today and bring everything before him. Absolutely nothing will be wasted.

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Gary and Sandy Anthony

Philippians 1:18-19 NIV Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

Ephesians 3:20 TPT Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power is constantly at work within you.

1 Peter 5:10-11 TPT And then, after your brief suffering, the God of all loving grace, who has called you to share in his eternal glory in Christ, will personally and powerfully restore you and make you stronger than ever. Yes, he will set you firmly in place and build you up. And he has all the power needed to do this—forever!

James 1:2-4 NIV Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Romans 5:2-5 TPT What incredible joy bursts forth within us as we keep on celebrating our hope of experiencing God’s glory! But that’s not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us!

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 TPT Things never discovered or heard of before, things beyond our ability to imagine — these are the many things God has in store those that love Him. But God reveals these profound realities to us by the Spirit. Yes, he has revealed to us his inmost heart and deepest mysteries through the Holy Spirit.

Romans 8:35-39 NIV Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3 NIV Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

2 Timothy 1:9 NIV He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.

Psalms 46:1-2 NIV God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.