When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” John 6:5-7

Isn’t it great how God approaches things from an entirely different perspective than we expect? When presented with the problem of feeding five thousand or more people, the disciples looked for a human solution – where can we possibly get enough money? Jesus, however, uses the situation to test Philip’s faith and to demonstrate God’s power to provide through “nonconventional” ways.

When faced with a seemingly impossible situation, how do we react? Like Philip, do we assess the situation, trying to determine the probable cost? Are we unable to do anything because of the insurmountable odds? (The story continues with a little boy who brings Jesus five loaves of bread and two small fish; certainly not enough to feed the crowd but demonstrating more faith than Philip!) What would happen if we trusted God the way Jesus did in this instance?

God wants to grow our faith as well. He does this by orchestrating circumstances that from our perspective seem impossible, where we have the choice to doubt or worry, or to trust him. (Have you ever heard that if you pray for patience, God will give you a situation where your patience is tried? I think it is the same with faith; in order for our faith to grow, we must be put in situations that test our faith.)

Will we trust him to provide a solution in his way and in his time?