Participating in the Miracle: When Faith Requires Movement

When we think about miracles, it’s easy to imagine them as something that simply happens to us—God moves, heaven opens, and suddenly everything changes. But when we look closely at Scripture, we see a different pattern where God invites people into the miracle through obedience.

In Mark 6:32–44, Jesus feeds more than five thousand people. It’s an incredible moment, but what’s often overlooked is how involved the disciples were. Jesus didn’t tell them to stand back and watch while He fed the thousands. He instead asked them to participate. He told them to organize the crowd. He asked them what food they had. He prayed over it, broke it—and then placed it back into their hands to distribute. The miracle didn’t bypass the disciples. It flowed through them.

God Works With What We Bring

Jesus’ question to the disciples is one He still asks us today: “What do you have?”

Not what you wish you had. Not what you’ll have someday. But what is already in your hands right now. All they had were five loaves and two fish—hardly enough to feed a crowd. Yet Jesus didn’t dismiss it. He received it, blessed it, broke it, and multiplied it.

This same principle appears again and again throughout Scripture. The woman with the issue of blood didn’t wait for Jesus to notice her. She pushed through the crowd, reaching for healing with everything she had. The paralyzed man couldn’t move on his own, but his friends refused to let obstacles stop them—they carried him to Jesus and lowered him through the roof. The widow with the oil didn’t receive a warehouse of resources; she received instruction and had to keep pouring what little she had into borrowed jars.

In every story, movement preceded the miracle. Jesus did not wait for abundance. Instead, He multiplied surrender.

Pray. Then Break. Then Bless.

Before the bread multiplied, Jesus followed a divine order: He prayed. He broke the bread. Then He blessed the people. Prayer aligns us with God. Breaking stretches us. Blessing flows outward to others. We often want the blessing without the breaking—but broken bread is what feeds the hungry. Growth, obedience, and faith are rarely comfortable, yet they are always purposeful.

Are You Waiting—or Participating?

This leads us to an important question: Are you waiting for God to do everything, or are you willing to participate in what He’s already doing?

Faith is not passive. Faith shows up. Faith moves. Faith responds.

Sometimes we say God isn’t speaking, but it’s worth asking ourselves:

• Are we spending time in His Word?

• Are we engaging in worship, not just routine?

• Are we creating space for stillness and meditation, where we can actually hear Him?

God often speaks—but we must be present to listen.

Trust the Process of “Due Time”

Scripture reminds us in 1 Peter 5:6–7:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time.”

“Due time” implies a process. It suggests growth, patience, and trust. Humility places us in a posture where God can work through us, not just for us. Miracles still happen. But many begin with simple obedience—bringing what we have, showing up consistently, and trusting God with the outcome. When we place what’s in our hands into His, He still multiplies it—often in ways that bless far more than just ourselves.