Life is full of loss. Dreams fade, strength diminishes, loved ones depart, and at times, it feels like we are left with nothing. Yet, the Bible is filled with stories of people who, instead of focusing on what was lost, chose to trust God with what remained. The little they had—whether strength, resources, or faith—became the foundation for something greater.
Moses: What Is That in Your Hand?
Moses had once been a prince of Egypt, powerful and privileged, but after fleeing into the wilderness, he became a shepherd. When God called him to lead Israel, Moses felt inadequate.
“Then the Lord said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ He said, ‘A staff.’” (Exodus 4:2)
It was just a simple shepherd’s staff, but in God’s hands, it became an instrument of miracles—parting the Red Sea, bringing water from a rock, and confirming God’s power to Pharaoh. Moses thought he had lost everything, but God showed him that what remained was enough.
“God does not ask us for what we have lost, but for what we have left. The divine question to Moses—‘What is that in your hand?’—is the same question He asks of us today. We often discount what remains, yet in the hands of God, the smallest remnant becomes a channel of divine power.” — Dr. John MacArthur
The Widow of Zarephath: Using What’s Left
During a devastating famine, a widow in Zarephath had only a handful of flour and a little oil. She was preparing to eat her last meal with her son when Elijah asked her for food.
“She said, ‘As the Lord your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug… that we may eat it and die.’” (1 Kings 17:12)
Elijah told her to make him a small cake first, promising that God would not let her flour and oil run out. In faith, she obeyed, and God miraculously sustained her household throughout the famine.
“Faith often begins with recognizing the limits of what remains. The widow’s obedience, despite her near-empty jar, illustrates that divine provision flows when we entrust God with our last.” — Dr. Charles Swindoll
Naomi: Restoring Hope with What Remains
Naomi lost her husband and two sons while living in Moab and returned to Bethlehem in deep sorrow.
“She said to them, ‘Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.’” (Ruth 1:20)
Yet, Naomi was not entirely alone. She still had Ruth, her devoted daughter-in-law, who refused to leave her side. Naomi could have given up, but instead, she used her wisdom and faith to guide Ruth to a new beginning. In the end, Ruth married Boaz and became the great-grandmother of King David—and ultimately, part of the lineage of Christ.
“Naomi’s story reminds us that restoration often comes through relationships. What we consider ‘not enough’—a single companion, a sliver of hope—can become the seed of redemption.” — Dr. Timothy Keller
Job: Restoring What Remained
Job lost everything—his wealth, his children, and his health. He could have given up completely, but instead, he held on to his faith.
“And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10)
“God’s restoration is never merely a return to the past—it is always greater. Job’s story teaches us that our latter days in God’s hands can exceed our former ones.” — Dr. R.C. Sproul
Gideon: Overcoming with Less
Gideon started with 32,000 soldiers, but God reduced his army to just 300 men before sending him into battle against the Midianites. Instead of focusing on what he didn’t have, Gideon trusted God and won the victory.
“The Lord said to Gideon, ‘You have too many men… in order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her.’” (Judges 7:2)
“God often reduces our resources so that His power may be unmistakable. Victory with little reveals the greatness of divine strength.” — Dr. A.W. Tozer
Peter: Restoring a Broken Calling
After denying Jesus three times, Peter thought his ministry was over. He went back to fishing, but Jesus found him and asked three times, “Do you love Me?” With each answer, Jesus reaffirmed Peter’s calling:
“Feed my sheep.” (John 21:17)
“Failure is never final in the kingdom of God. Christ’s redemption reaches into the wreckage of our choices and reclaims our calling.” — Dr. N.T. Wright
Paul in Prison: Writing What He Could
Paul spent much of his later life imprisoned, unable to travel and preach as he once did. But instead of focusing on what he couldn’t do, he used what remained—his ability to write.
“Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.” (Philippians 1:12)
“The prison of limitation often becomes the platform for God’s greatest work. Paul’s confinement led to epistles that continue to shape the church today.” — Dr. John Piper
Lessons for Us Today
These stories remind us that no matter how much we have lost, we still have something in our hands. It may seem small, but when surrendered to God, it becomes more than enough.
✅ Like Moses, use what is in your hand. Even if it seems insignificant, God can work through it.
✅ Like the widow, trust God with the little you have left. Faith activates divine provision.
✅ Like Naomi, nurture what remains. What looks like an ending may be the beginning of something greater.
✅ Like Job, believe in restoration. God can turn loss into abundance.
✅ Like Gideon, trust that less can be more with God.
✅ Like Peter, know that failure is not the end. God restores broken callings.
✅ Like Paul, maximize what remains, even in limitations.
And as he put it in his letter to the Philippians:
“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)
God is never finished with us. If we choose to water what remains, He will bring growth, restoration, and new beginnings.
What is left in your hands today? How can you surrender it to God?
