I grew up in church so I’ve heard almost all of the stories. One of them that I knew by heart was when Jesus feeds the 5000 (which is actually only the men counted, so it was closer to 20,000). In case you haven’t read it, it’s John 6:1-15. Pause on reading this, go read that, and then come back.

Here’s the KPV (Karleigh’s Paraphrased Version):

Jesus looked at Philip and was like ‘Hey dude, know where we can buy bread?”

Philip’s response was ‘There ain’t enough money to feed ’em all.’

Then Simon Peter noticed the boy with the loaves and fishes.

He told them, ‘we have a bit of food here, but what does it matter if we can’t feed them all?’

Then he put the baskets in Jesus’ hands and all were fed.

So many things stand out to me from this passage. Philip vs Peter, how Jesus did the miracle, how there was just enough for the disciples left over, how so much came from so little.

First, though, I want to address Philip vs. Peter.

Fun fact: John is the only gospel that gives Philip any real attention. And the attention that gets is him basically missing the point. Every dang time.

Philip doesn’t even acknowledge that there was anything to be done. He was tired, he was over it, he was hungry and wanted to go get food and take a nap. He didn’t even think to look to SEE if there was anything Jesus could work with. Not even a smidgen of belief.

And then there’s Peter. He happens to see a little boy that brought two fish and five loaves of bread. He doesn’t think it will be enough and could we blame him? There are at LEAST 12,000, if not 20,000 people there. Five loaves and two fish could MAYBE make 20 sandwiches if the portions were small. He’d be crazy to think that it would be enough.

But he had a smidgen of belief.

He took that smidgen and said “Jesus, it probably isn’t going to work, but we have this food that the little boy brought.”

And that little smidgen changed everything.

How often are we doing that in our own lives? How often are we looking at our life not even thinking that God could do anything with it? Looking at the little that we have and thinking that God isn’t big enough to work a miracle with it?

Peter got the basket of food and gave it to Jesus.

But here’s the part I didn’t even realize until my pastor brought it up in a sermon and it absolutely blew my mind: the miracle didn’t happen in Jesus’ hands. It happened in the disciples’ hands.

*cue car-slamming-to-a-stop screeches* what?

He was right. When you go to Matthew 14:19, it says:

Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

Jesus Blessed It

Jesus broke the bread and blessed it, but He didn’t walk around and give it to the people. He gave it to the DISCIPLES and then then the miracle happened as THEY were handing it out.

Can you imagine you and 11 of your friends handing out bread and fish to 15,000 people? Can you imagine how LONG that would’ve taken? Talk about not getting weary doing good. I’ve worked live events before with hundreds of other people and THAT was exhausting I can’t even imagine doing this.

The thing that gets me the most is that all of those people ate and were satisfied and there were STILL 12 baskets left over for the disciples to have (Matthew 14: 20). So five loaves and two fish were enough to not only FEED all those people but feed them until they were SATISFIED. Jesus told these dudes to go and get all of the leftovers. Those leftovers combined with ‘satisfied?’ Oh they were FULL full. Like put-on-your-stretchy-pants-it’s-Thanksgiving full.

And the leftovers were just enough for the disciples.

This blows my mind

My GOODNESS. If this ain’t blowing your mind I don’t know what will.

But let’s back it up to the disciples – remember, the miracle happened when it was put into THEIR baskets. 

So that business you wana start? That small group you wana begin? That nonprofit you wana volunteer at? That ministry you wana join? That bill you gotta pay? That little bit of food in the fridge that needs to last until the next paycheck?

Imagine what would happen if you put it in the hands of Jesus? What would happen if you gave it to Him so He could break it, bless it, and give it right back to you?

The Lord Showed me My Own Life

As I’m writing this the Lord is showing me how this is happening in my own life. I’m currently in a season that doesn’t make sense. I ain’t gonna lie, it’s not good. I’m struggling to hold it together. I know He has a plan for my good and I’m holding onto that, but that’s all I have left to hold onto.

But I’m seeing my situation as this. I didn’t have a lot, but I gave it to Him. I know He blessed it but man oh MAN did He break it. And I don’t like it. The breaking isn’t fun. It’s awful and nerve-wracking and enough to make me wana throw in the towel altogether. 

God gave it to me

However, I also know that He gave it back to me. He showed me that He approved, that because I’m acting in obedience with what He told me to do He trusted me with it. He gave it back and said “Go.” So I did and even though I’m tired and drained, I’m doing it.

If I quit now I’m going to lose the miracle. I’m not going to see what happens when I go, when I start handing out His word like it’s five loaves and two fish being multiplied.

Those disciples were TIRED. Before Jesus fed the multitude He sent out the disciples to go and do works and when they got back they were tired and hungry. Thinking they were going to get fed, it turns out He wanted them to do more work.

Hangry

When I’m hungry and tired, I’m NOT fun to be around. I can’t even imagine how I’d have to hold it together when I’m already dead tired doing what He told me to do and then He hands me a basket with bread and fish to hand out.

Watch the video version here!

I’m not about to be rude to Jesus but I can guarantee my face would say all the words required. And knowing Jesus in all his sassy sovereignty would just smile knowingly and send me on my merry way, reminding me that those people are all there to see Him so I should be extra kind.

I’m in that phase

Now, in the present day, as I’m writing this, Jesus just revealed to me that I’m in that phase right now. I’m not happy about it and I’m dead tired but I’m showing up anyway. I’m doing the work and I’m out multiplying His miracle and handing it out to the multitudes. Just like there was enough left for the disciples, there’s going to be more than enough for me, too.

When I started writing this post I did so reluctantly. It was simply pure obedience because honestly I’m scared to go back to disobedience. I had no intention of receiving anything from Him but man isn’t He so good that He’s pouring into me while I’m here writing?

Even when I was reluctant and frustrated and tired, He still showed up for me.

That is the God that we serve. That is the Jesus that cares about us so deeply that He never leaves us hanging.

I had a completely different direction planned for this post but I let Him have it and I am so glad that I did.

I hope that you were as blessed reading this as I was writing it. Whatever your multitude is, don’t quit. Don’t give up.

I don’t know if you’re in the breaking stage, blessing stage or tired and hangry passing out the blessing stage, but I promise you that He’s got you. He’s right there next to you holding you up.

Just do it

Don’t miss out on what He has for you. You can whine, you can cry, you can roll your eyes, just do it.

I tell my son he doesn’t have to like emptying the dishwasher. He can complain the whole time if he wants to. All that matters is that it gets done because it’s his responsibility. It’s the same with us and Jesus. He rewards our obedience even when we’re not happy about doing it.

So what is the thing you’ve been holding onto too tight to give to Him? It’s time to put it in His hands.

Whatever you’re carrying, you don’t have to hold it alone anymore.

My Free Prayer Journal gives you space to bring it all to God, without filters or pressure. Just honest surrender, guided by Scripture and grace.

Download it here and start giving it to Him, one page at a time.