"Your servant has nothing there at all," she said, "except a little oil" (2 Kings 4:2).

Her husband has died. There is no way to fulfill her debts. Her creditors decide to take her two sons as slaves for payment of the obligations that still remain. She pleads with the only man of God she knows for assistance. "Is there anything in your house?" Elisha asked. "Nothing at all," she said, "except a little oil." Elisha then instructed her to go and collect all the empty jars that her neighbors might possess. "Ask for as many as you can," he instructed. When the jars were collected, he instructed her to pour what little oil she had into the jars. The oil was more than enough to fill the jars. In fact, there was more oil than jars to fill. "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left," said Elisha (2 Kings 4:1-7).

God often mixes faith with the practical. The widow believed she had no resources to meet her need. God said she had more than enough resources. She did not see the one jar of oil as a resource. It did not become a resource until it was mixed with faith. Her need was met when her faith was mixed with the practical step of going into the marketplace to sell what she had to receive her needed income. In fact, it was so much income she was able to pay her debts and live on the money derived from the sale.

Quite often we forget that God works through commerce to provide for our needs. It is wrong to place total faith in commerce without faith. God often requires simple obedience to an act that seems ridiculous to the logical mind. It is this faith mixed with the practical that God honors.

Do you have a problem that is perplexing to you? Do you see no way of meeting your need? God has given you the skills and talents that may already exist to meet your need. However, He may be waiting for you to mix it with faith. Ask God to show you the steps necessary to solve your problem. Be willing to take the next step.