What if I Won't Have Enough?

A Reflection on the First Reading for July 25th, 2021:
Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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2 Kings
4.42-44

A man came bringing food from the first fruits to Elisha, the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, “Give it to the people and let them eat.”

But his servant said, “How can I set this before a hundred people?” So Elisha repeated, “Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’”

The servant set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord.
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Pause. Pray.

And then read more...

I enjoy being a student and am passionate about learning how I can be an agent of change in society. However, I occasionally catch myself being sucked into a world of my own — a world characterized by a sense of urgency for what needs to get done and then, what needs to get done next. For instance, in graduate school, I am surrounded by many intelligent individuals who motivate me to excel in my studies and in my own research. At times, however, I subconsciously prioritize my studies over fulfilling personal duties within family or home life, out of fear of not having enough time to do what I need to do (like finishing a paper I am writing), if I give more of myself to others in terms of my time, attention, or service.

I have indeed been guilty of occasionally growing selfish over my time and of feeling overprotective over “my schedule” — afraid to apply any wiggle room for driving a younger sibling to an appointment or to spend an extra 20 minutes helping in the kitchen after supper or to make time to chat with a friend over the phone. Throughout these experiences, I came to realize how my hesitation to give more of myself to others — whether it is through my time or an act of service — stems from my lack of trust in God. I am reliant on myself because I am scared to trust that He will inspire, motivate, and assist me in my academic endeavours and will still bless me with enough time for friends, family, and fellowship. Yet, I am still faced with, and am constantly trying to overcome, the temptation to hold myself back from giving more of myself to others.

In 2 Kings 4:42-44, Elisha said, “Give it to the people and let them eat,” demonstrating his unwavering generosity and bold confidence in the Lord’s ability to provide. Elisha teaches us that when we are generous with what we have, God will not leave us hanging. Elisha was also faithful to the Lord. He said, “…for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left,’” illustrating how, even if we think something is impossible because we may be short of time, money, or resources, there will always be enough; God always provides, and He makes sure that there will even be some left over.


Sister, is there something you may also be hesitating to hand over to the Lord, thinking you won’t have enough if you do? Next time you ask yourself, “What if I won’t have enough,” I invite you to entrust these doubts to the Lord, because with His faithfulness, we will always have enough (And then some!).



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Giana Tomas

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