What God has given you is more than enough
Have you ever felt that you just don’t have the resources you need to do what God has called you to do? You don’t feel you have enough money or education or connections or influence to fulfill your purpose in life, or even just to live life itself. Does it ever seem what God has given you is not enough?
This week I’m talking with my friend David Laton, host of Our Journey to Hope podcast. Dave shares some insights on how to discern and use what God has already given you to accomplish whatever it is God wants you to do, especially when you feel inadequate or unsure about what you have to offer.
My hope is that you find encouragement, reassurance, and practical inspiration for living out your faith—wherever you are, right now, with whatever “little” you think you have. Spoiler: with God, “little” is always more than enough!
Dave has used what God has given him
Right from the start, I knew Dave was someone who practices what he preaches. He’s spent over 40 years helping others learn and grow—whether that’s in churches, non-profits, or his “second career” as a co-director of the Sojourners mission. He radiates enthusiasm for serving, equipping, and encouraging others.
Dave shared early on that retirement, for him and his wife Lynn, was just the beginning of a new adventure. Not only did they help start a congregation in rural Pennsylvania, but they also joined the Sojourners in 2016—a group of Christians who travel the country serving, teaching, and supporting small churches and Christian organizations. “We’ve been with them ever since,” Dave said. “It’s an amazing way to use what we have to help others.”
But Dave’s story, like all of ours, has had some hard chapters. He’s a survivor of an aggressive leukemia, and his journey through cancer has profoundly shaped his outlook. “I adopted an entirely new insight into hope and challenges to hope,” he told me. Now, he volunteers at the cancer center where he received his own treatments, encouraging others who are on their own difficult journeys.
What God has given you is in your hand
One of the big themes of our conversation was this simple but life-changing question God posed to Moses: “What’s in your hand?”
Think about it—here’s Moses, feeling unqualified, timid, and at a loss for resources. God’s reply isn’t to lay out a five-step plan or give Moses a shopping list—it’s simply, “What do you have right now?” Moses had a staff. It was just a stick. Yet in God’s hands, it became the instrument for miracles and leadership.
Dave unpacked that moment beautifully:
Not only was it the physical staff, Moses had to grow in faith, he had to grow in courage, he had to grow in vision. Those are the same things that happen to us. I might say, ‘Well, I don’t have much.’ Yet in reality, you have the raw materials. You have the potential to do some incredible things.”
This is such a powerful reminder—our skills, experiences, or even our limitations are not obstacles, but opportunities for God to work through us. Sometimes, all God needs is our willingness to use whatever we have. Even if it seems insignificant! What God has given you is enough.
Little is much
Dave and I discussed one of my favorite biblical principles from an old hymn called: Little Is Much When God Is in It, by Kittie Louise Suffield. The chorus goes like this:
Little is much when God is in it,
Labor not for wealth or fame.
There’s a crown and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus’ name.
Throughout our conversation, we came back to the theme of offering what we have—however small—and trusting God to multiply its impact.
We talked about the story of the widow at Zarephath, who, during a famine, had only a handful of flour and a little oil to feed her family. Yet when she followed Elijah’s instruction, her resources never ran dry. Dave agreed, pointing out that even the smallest act of kindness can be an influence for good:
“We may think we’re just doing something insignificant, but there is something that we all can do with our current abilities and resources. It all adds up.”
Sojourners
Dave’s life is full of examples. He told me about the Sojourners’ service trips—serving in half way house, rebuilding Bible camp facilities, and supporting tiny congregations of just a handful of people. “Everything has a spiritual component to it,” he said. Whether it’s carpentry, hosting devotionals, or sharing a meal, they never underestimate the power of ordinary acts done in faith.
I especially loved the story he recalled of an elderly woman in his former congregation, home-bound at over 100 years old, yet faithfully writing cards to newcomers. Her ministry didn’t stop just because her mobility did. “She could do what she could do,” Dave said warmly “and it made all the difference to everyone who got the cards.”
Women using what God has given them
One of the things that really moved me was how much Dave appreciates the gifts and leadership of women—something I’m always eager to highlight. We shared how, sometimes, Women see their femininity, age, and circumstances as a “liability,” when in fact that’s precisely where God can shine. Dave pointed out biblical examples like Lydia and Dorcas—women who used their business skills and hospitality to build up the early church.
He also shared an encouraging story of a widow who joined the Sojourners, proving that there’s no “expiration date” on being useful to God’s kingdom. We both agreed: whatever season of life we’re in, service is always possible and always needed. You can always use what God has given you at any point in your life.
What God has given: HOPE
Dave is a firm believer that hope isn’t just a feeling—it’s an action. After surviving leukemia, he saw that the surest path out of despair is finding ways to bless others, even in little ways. He says,
If you’re finding that your hope is being challenged, get out of yourself, look to do something for someone else and your hope will grow… the best way to move on is to get outside of yourself and look to help somebody else.
I can’t express how true this is. When we’re stuck in our problems, even the smallest act of encouragement or service for someone else lifts us as well.
Let me share one of Dave’s favorite examples. At his local cancer center, ladies from a nearby church sew pillows and seat belt pads for chemo patients. It started so simply—just one person thinking about how to make others more comfortable. “That little bit meant a lot to me,” Dave said, describing how it eased his discomfort. Who would have thought sewing little pads could be a ministry? But it is. Every act of kindness counts. You can use what God has given you to bless others.
Little hinges open big doors
One of my favorite sayings is, “Big doors swing on little hinges.” Dave echoed this, but pointed out that when each of us offers what little we have, the effect isn’t just addition—it’s multiplication. That’s how the kingdom of God grows: dozens, hundreds, thousands of “little things” becoming a wave of hope and transformation.
He told a moving story about a woman who sent a check for just $8 to help his daughter’s mission trip. “That $8 was not coming from an abundance; it was from her heart.” In God’s economy, the widow’s mite matters as much as the large check.
Feelings of inadequacy
We also talked honestly about the times when we just don’t feel enough—when fear, inadequacy, or a lack of direction holds us back. What about the person who thinks, “I have nothing to offer. I’m too old, too young, too sick, too busy, too broke, too whatever…”? Dave’s advice is so wise:
“Just a simple prayer is a good place to start where you’re asking God, ‘Okay, God, help me see what I have and how I can use it.’ Sit in your chair and look around—‘What do I see? How can I use that?’”
Whatever your circumstances, whatever your gifts—there is always a place for you in God’s service. Read a Bible story to a child, help a neighbor, write a card, or even just smile. “If that’s what you have, then do it, and do so for the glory of God.” What God has given you, even if it seems small, can work wonders.
What will you do with what God has given you?
As I reflect on this week’s conversation, I encourage you to:
Ask yourself: What’s in my hand? What can I do, however small, to bless someone else today?
Pray for open eyes and a willing heart: Ask God to show you the opportunities around you, and then give you the courage to step into them.
Don’t despise small beginnings: Whether it’s a phone call, a smile, or an act of service, little is much when God is in it.
Let love be your guide: Whether you’re feeding a neighbor, teaching a child, or offering hospitality, do it all in the spirit of loving God and loving people.
Dave’s story and perspective reminded me, again, that God is always at work in us and through us—even when we feel empty or inadequate. Never underestimate the power of a humble, willing heart.
If you want to learn more about Dave and his journey of hope, check out his podcast, Our Journey to Hope, and his website ourjourneytohope.com. You’ll find resources, encouragement, and lots of reasons to keep hoping, serving, and trusting God with what’s in your hand.
Three final questions
- If you could talk to any Bible character other than Jesus, who would it be and what would you ask them?
I already mentioned Moses and that snake. I would ask Moses, What was it like to have to bend down and pick up a snake? I don’t do that. I don’t do that. That was a real test of faith. What was that like Moses?
2. Is there any Bible character you especially identify with?
Yeah. You know, the, the book of Philemon is 25 verses. It’s the smallest of Paul’s letters. And here, here we have this fellow Onesimus, who stole from his master and went off. And he, of all people, he comes across Paul. I, I like to look at that. And I asked the question to myself one time, Why did the compilers of the Scripture put this small little personal letter, a letter from a brother to a brother about a brother? How did they put that in scripture? And it became obvious to me that this is not just a letter about first century life. It is a metaphor, it is an example of what the whole gospel is about.
Onesimus could not approach his master on his own. He had to have an intermediary. Well, that’s us. So Christ pleads on our behalf to God. So you see that working out in this, this event of Onesimus. So I would like to talk to Onesimus and I’d like to talk to Philemon and say, you know, what was that like? I love that story because I can put myself in that event very easily.
3. This podcast is about getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus. How would you describe Jesus’s original message of how he wanted us to live our lives?
Well, I’ve already said it there in Matthew, when he said, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbors yourself. You do that, everything else falls in line, everything else will be removed. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind. And the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself. And you know, that’s in Matthew 22, verses 37 through 40. So those are the greatest commands. Everything else flows out of that.
Never underestimate what you can do with what God has given you.
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James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and church mentor. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Contact him here.
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