And when it was already late, His disciples came up to Him and said, “This place is secluded and it is already late; send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” But He answered them, “You give them something to eat!” And they said to Him, “Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread, and give it to them to eat?”

When we try to help people, we often encounter obstacles. We quickly realize that we don’t have the money or time to solve all the problems in the world or even make a dent in them. We can sacrifice our time and resources, but we often wonder what it will cost us in the end. After a day of listening to Jesus teach, the disciples recognized one of the obstacles they faced: a hungry crowd. When they brought this issue to Jesus, they had no idea how they could solve the problem. And yet, that’s exactly what Jesus asked them to do.

This is so often our approach when we start to pour into and serve others. When we recognize how big the world’s problems are, we might feel small and powerless against them. Jesus’s response to the disciples carries a truth we need to remember today: we have what you need.

In church we often talk about the sufficiency of Christ surrounding salvation—the idea that Jesus is enough for us to be saved completely from our sin—but His sufficiency is bigger than our sin problem. His sufficiency extends to every area of our lives and every problem we face. Second Peter 1:3 says, “For His divine power has granted us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” When we hit these hurdles and moments of anxiety when the problems of the world feel too much, we can rest in the hope that we can turn to the One who is enough. He is sovereign; He is active; and He is living inside of us, strengthening us to live and serve as His people.

• What obstacles have you encountered in your faith that felt overwhelming?
• What would it look like to believe Jesus has given you what you need to live for and follow Him in every area of your life? What would change if you did that?
• Pray that you would trust in Jesus’s sufficiency in every area of your life and through every obstacle you encounter as you follow Him.