Nothing Is Wasted With God
Have you ever felt like you wasted your time, your talent, your money, or even a part of your life on something? Well, I am here today to tell you that God will use it all if we let Him. The Lord is not into waste.
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)
We see that Jesus had them collect the leftovers. He did not allow it to be wasted. He used it all. In the same way, God can take the things in our lives that seem to be a waste and turn them into something useful, even beneficial.
Did you notice that what was left was actually more than what they originally had? They started with five loaves and two fish and after everyone had eaten, they collected 12 baskets of food! Jesus not only multiplied what was given so that many could eat, but I believe those 12 baskets were given to the boy who donated His lunch. That is how God operates. When we give, He multiplies it back to us. What a blessing.
There is value in every piece of our lives. The losses, the failures, the disappointments, the missed opportunities, can all be turned into something helpful if we give them to God. When we give Him the pain and negative things, He will find a way to turn them into positives. Sometimes the experience teaches us something. Sometimes a failure or mistake actually leads to something better later. One way or another, God will work it for our good, because He doesn’t waste anything- He uses it all.
