Devotional: He Gives Us the Tools

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. – 2 Corinthians 9:8

Have you ever shopped in a large hardware store? Some of the larger hardware stores have any tool you could ever possibly think of using. In fact, they probably have many tools you never even thought of using. Whatever work you want to do, they have tools for, whether it be laying tile, fixing a clogged sink, or planting a garden.

 photo credit: geishaboy500

Of course, no matter how good a tool is, it’s useless unless we know how to use it and have the ability to use it. If you hand me a sledgehammer, I may know how to use it, but I wouldn’t be strong enough to lift it. Other tools I wouldn’t even know how to use.

Hardware stores are great places to find tools for physical work, but where do we get the tools for doing spiritual work?

Instead of planting a garden, let’s say I need to plant seeds of truth in a friend’s heart. Or instead of fixing a sink, I need to fix a broken relationship. The wonderful news is that God gives us the tools to do any spiritual work He may ask us to do. Not only that, but God also gives us the knowledge and ability to use these tools.

Sometimes we see someone doing some great spiritual work, and we think, “I could never do that.” We need to realize we can do anything that God calls us to do. Do you think God would call someone to be a pastor without giving him the tools to do the work? Would God call you to do anything without giving you the tools? No, He wouldn’t.

When God asked Moses to lead the Israelites across the Red Sea, He gave him the tools to do the job, the knowledge needed to do the job, and the ability to do the job. God didn’t just lead Moses to the Red Sea and tell him, “Okay Moses, here’s the Red Sea. I want you to cross it but it’s totally up to you to figure out how.”

In whatever spiritual work God calls you to do, go to Him in prayer and ask Him for the tools and ability to do it. With God’s help, we can “abound in every good work.”