God Uses Us Even When We Don't Count

A few weeks back, I was singing a song with one of the littles. It was a song I sang in church as a small child. 🎶This little light of mine🎶. When I got to the place in the song, “hide it under a bushel”, I heard Holy Spirit whisper, “you have a bushel.”

I always thought that this part of the song meant to be embarrassed to share about Christ but He quickly revealed what the bushel he was referring to. It was my old enemy, insecurity, that I had once again partnered with and was the current “bushel” He wanted to remove from His light in my life.

Partnering with insecurity only took a second, a wrong thought about my identity that was left to run rampant through my mind. You know the voice, the one that is quietly yelling you are not good enough, there is no way the Lord wants that of you, who do you think you are? The thoughts of insecurity were fierce. I focused on who I was not rather than who he has made me to be. Christ died to give me a seat with Him in heavenly places. He rose again so that I could be hidden in him and He in me. He calls me more than a conqueror, a child of the King. I know all of this and yet, Insecurity had become the proverbial bush that my light was hiding under.

The Lord began to tenderly explain that insecurity is a root of pride. When my own thoughts about who I am or am not, or what I can or can not do are contrary to the Word or what He has told me, then I have exalted my own thoughts above His and that’s pride. It is sneaky pride, pride that wears a mask, but, is pride nonetheless.

There is a story in all 4 gospels, one that I am sure most everyone is familiar with. It is the story of how Jesus fed the multitude w/5 fishes and 2 loaves. The Word says that a “lad”, which means young boy, had the fishes and loaves and gave them to the disciples to be used to feed the mulititude. The Word says that there were 5000 men there. So only the men were counted. That would mean that the lad who gave the food, did not count. He was not considered when the men were broken into groups of 50 and 100. He did not count.

This was the only miracle other than the resurrection that was included in all 4 gospels. This little guy was recorded in all of history in the living word because he wasn’t insecure, it didn’t matter that he didn’t count. He didn’t care that he was counted by mankind, he was giving what he had to Jesus and allowing Him to make enough out of not enough.

This caused me to wonder how many others may have had food and didn’t give it because they felt that what they possessed was not enough. What they had couldn’t measure up to what was needed in the moment, so they dismissed it and didn’t offer it. How many were counted out that day and missed out contributing their little so the Lord could multiply it?

If you feel insecure and maybe counted out or not counted at all, let me remind you of this lads testimony that continues to echo over 2000 years later. He is proof that even when you are not counted, Jesus can use what you bring and multiply it and bless more than a multitude with what you surrender to Him.

So tell the voice that speaks what you are not to be still. Focus on who the Word says you are, focus on what Holy Spirit whispers to you. Concentrate on His voice above the roar of the enemy. Surrender your fishes and loaves then pick that bushel up off your light and SHINE!.