How does it make you feel to see someone else get what you have been praying for? The very thing you’ve been wanting, even needing, dreaming of for years, and it goes to someone else. But what about you? Has God overlooked you? Why are you left still waiting and wanting? Will it ever be your turn?

It takes a darn big person to sit with empty hands and watch someone else’s hands be filled. It takes an even bigger person to be truly happy for them when they get it and you don’t. Our human nature screams, “Why them and not me? Where’s mine?”

Is this what you’ve been saying? Maybe you haven’t been saying it, but have you been feeling it and thinking it? Oh girl, this one is for you today!

In studying the book of Luke, I read the familiar story of Jesus feeding the crowd of thousands with only the lunch of a boy.
I’ve read it from the perspective of the boy who offered his lunch and saw Jesus use his little for something so big.
I’ve read it from the perspective of the disciples who were invited to be part of the miraculous by serving.
I’ve read it and focused on the sheer impossibility of the numbers. I’ve done the math. 5,000 men in the crowd likely meant at least 15,000 total once you counted women and children. The 5 loaves of bread were not loaves of french bread, they were more like pita crackers. The 2 fish were not massive pieces of protein, they were more like small sardines. The numbers are impossible.

But this time, God showed me something different. He showed me the crowd’s obedience in the wait while they watched others receive.

Luke 9: 12-17:
Late in the afternoon the 12 disciples came to Jesus and said, “Send the crowds away to the nearby villages and farms, so they can find food and lodging for the night. There is nothing to eat here in this remote place.”
But Jesus said, “You feed them”
“But we have only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish,” they answered. “Or are you expecting us to go and buy enough food for this whole crowd?” For there were about 5,000 men there.
Jesus replied, “Tell them to sit down in groups of about 50 each.” So the people all sat down. Jesus took the 5 loaves and 2 fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up 12 baskets of leftovers.

This crowd had been gathered all day seeking the words of wisdom and the healing touch of Jesus. They had no food and they were hungry. People get a little crazy when they’re hungry. They get really crazy when they’re hungry and they think there isn’t enough for them. Fights break out in situations like this. Pushing, shoving, yelling. Imagine being in the crowd with your small child who is hungry. What would you do to get them food?

But every account of this story tells of order. Jesus is very specific, “sit them down in groups of about 50 each”. Then he has the 12 disciples distribute the food to the groups. But let’s do the math and consider the wait.

If there were a total of 15,000 hungry people in the crowd, this would make 300 groups of 50. With 12 disciples serving, this would mean each one would be serving about 25 groups. The space required for 15,000 people is the size of a large arena. Think sporting event or concert … all those people. With the disciples serving each of their 25 groups of 50 people, it would take a considerable amount of time to walk from Jesus where the supply is, all the way around the arena to reach every group.

Many sat and waited. They waited as they saw others receiving what they wanted. They waited as they saw what tiny amount there was to begin with be given over and over again. They waited as the disciples served other groups but hadn’t gotten to theirs yet.

They had to wonder if there could possibly be anything for them. They had to wonder if it would ever be their turn.

But scripture says THEY ALL ATE AS MUCH AS THEY WANTED. Everyone was filled. Everyone received. And everyone received an overflowing abundance. So much that there were 12 baskets of leftovers after everyone had eaten all they wanted.

Everyone was filled, but some waited longer than others.

And Jesus says, MY GIRL, I SEE YOU IN THE CROWD. I KNOW YOUR NEED. YOU WILL BE SERVED. MY SUPPLY IS MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR YOU TOO.

For the single ladies out there, God hasn’t run out of good single men. Wait for yours.

For the family waiting for a baby, God has heard your cries and he has aligned a blessing for you that will outweigh your wildest dreams. Wait for yours.

For the mama with a wayward child making a real mess of their lives, God isn’t running out of redemption and healing anytime soon. Wait for yours.

For the girl who is waiting for the blessing, the breakthrough, the change, God knows and he isn’t running out before he gets to you. Wait for yours.

Waiting is hard. We often create our biggest messes in the wait. In our impatience, we start meddling, we start scheming, and we start settling. We start cutting the line, sneaking in groups we were never meant to be in, and stealing bites of what isn’t ours.

Girl, sit down. Jesus hasn’t forgotten you and he’s not running out before he gets to you.

James 3:16, “For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.”

Imagine the disorder in a crowd of 15,000 hungry people if even 10% were jealous as others were served. If only a few were selfish, the entire crowd would be in an uproar. But Jesus called for order. He said, “Sit down.” And he says it here today, “Sit down and wait. I’ve got you!”

The fact that you question if God is ever going to get around to blessing you causes you to be jealous and selfish. And this jealousy and selfishness in you has you showing up as a lesser than version of yourself. I don’t think you even like that girl. That girl that’s willing to cheat a little to get ahead. That girl that’s willing to cut in front of someone else to get yours. Maybe that’s not you … but maybe you’re the girl that’s gotten pitiful in the wait. You’re a victim of the crowd and everyone who got theirs before you got yours.

Hey, there are no victims here. EVERYONE GETS ALL THEY WANTED and there was still LEFTOVERS! If you walk away in the wait, that’s on you.

Girl, don’t walk away in the wait. Don’t grow pitiful in the wait. Don’t get jealous and selfish in the wait.

My own mentor, Mr. Winton, taught me a valuable lesson about 20 years ago. He said, “Pamela, when you can celebrate the success of others as much as you celebrate your own success, then you’re truly successful.” And honestly, it’s taken me about 20 years to learn that lesson. In this time, I’ve seen proof that God has not forgotten me and what he has for me can’t be taken by anyone else. Someone else’s blessing does not limit my own blessing. Someone else winning doesn’t cause me to lose.

Now, I’m seeing God’s blessings in the lives of others is proof of God’s goodness. I can celebrate their blessings as if they were my own because I’m celebrating the nature of God’s goodness and love. LOOK WHAT GOD HAS DONE. It’s not about them and what they got … it’s about God and what he did!

And I know this … God’s not running out of that goodness. I may be in the back of the crowd, but Jesus is going to get to me. I don’t have to be pitiful in the wait and I will not give up in the wait. I won’t grow jealous in the wait and I won’t become selfish. I will sit here waiting in amazement that God simply never runs out.

My sister, I may not know what you’re waiting for, but I know God has precisely what you need and he’s not running out. Just because someone else gets it before you doesn’t mean you’re being robbed of yours. Their blessings do not limit your own. God is unlimited.

If you are at a place in life I strive to be, you just show me it’s possible. You show me what God can do and I can hold on for my turn. And if you’re trying to compete with me for what I have and where I am, well my friend, that’s really going to be a sucky competition because you can’t compete with me. I WANT YOU TO WIN TOO!

I want you to get everything Jesus has for you. I want you to be filled to overflowing. I wish all my blessings for you. I wish every breakthrough I’ve had in my life for you. I wish all this peace and all this joy for you. And I have all the confidence in the world that God still has an overflowing abundance of it all for you and he knows exactly where you are.

You’re not lost in this crowd. You will be served. Your time is coming. There’s plenty for you!

Follow Pamela on Instagram – https://instagram.com/headmamapamela
Or Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/pamela.crim
Find out more about BIG Life – http://biglifehq.com