Utilize: Making the Most of What God Has Placed in Your Hand

God entrusts every person with time, abilities and resources – limited, yet purposeful. Usefulness grows as we deliberately offer what is in our hand to Him, confident that He multiplies whatever is wholeheartedly surrendered.

Foundations Formed in the Ordinary

When minding the sheep David did not fritter the time away; rather he seized it, intentionally using it to establish a strong relationship with God that he drew on later in life. He also practiced playing the harp, which ushered him into the royal palace to soothe Saul’s spirit (1 Sam 16:16-23). He was courageous in killing a lion and a bear that were attacking the sheep, and being an accurate shot with the sling was decisive in conquering Goliath (1 Sam 17:34-37,50).

Little did he know the foundations of his extraordinary life – of being one “who served God in his generation” – were being formed out in the fields minding a few sheep (Acts 13:36). Do not despise the day of small beginnings; God only knows the final outcome (Zech 4:10).

The unseen years of faithfulness become the foundation for future usefulness

Examples of Resources Utilized for God

Moses’ staff was simply a shepherd’s stick, yet held in obedience it became “the staff of God” – dividing a sea and securing victory in battle (Ex 4:2,20; 17:8-13). What God asks is not ability but availability: “What is that in your hand?”

Consider how God might use what you have for His glory

A boy’s meagre lunch of five loaves and two fish was far too small to feed a crowd, yet when placed in Jesus’ hands it fed several thousand people (Mk 6:41-44). Whatever we give to Him might seem insignificant or of little value, yet nothing placed in His hands is ever wasted.

In the parable of the talents Jesus commended the servants who made the best use of their resource and judged the one who buried his (Mt 25:14-28). Faithfulness with little is the doorway to being trusted with much (Lk 16:10).

Steps to Utilize What You Have

Begin by taking inventory of your time, abilities and money, remembering you are answerable for all you do and don’t do (Rom 14:12). We can squander the resources God has entrusted to us, or utilise them to serve and advance the Kingdom of God in obedience to His leading. Use initiative rather than waiting to be asked, and make yourself available to God for whatever He wants to do through you – He seeks those who step forward. Make the most of every opportunity, redeeming the time because the days are evil (Eph 5:15-16; Col 4:5).

Everything we have is on loan from God – steward it well and invest it for eternity

Then turn to your advantage the opportunities and experiences that come your way in life, knowing it is often through the hard times that we develop a much deeper relationship with God. We can “bless the Lord at all times”, confident that “All things work together for good…” (Ps 34:1; Rom 8:28). Unpleasant things will happen to us, and our response determines whether we benefit by becoming more like our Saviour through the outworking of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Rom 8:29; Gal 5:22-23). Utilize the “discipline of the Lord” by learning from it (Heb 12:6-11). Ask for His help to overcome the difficulties, and then be diligent to thank Him for His hand on your life, acknowledging it is His doing – “The Lord has done this and it is marvellous in our eyes” (Ps 118:23; Mk 12:11).

Reflection and Application

Offer one unused resource – a skill, your home, or an hour each week – to God’s service, asking Him where to invest it (1 Pet 4:10).
Do today’s ordinary tasks wholeheartedly, as work done for the Lord rather than for human approval (Col 3:23).
Honour God first with your money and time by planning one deliberate act of generous giving this week (Prov 3:9; 2 Cor 9:7).
Keep doing good even when results seem small, refusing to give up before the harvest comes (Gal 6:9).