Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, {even} empty vessels; do not get a few. "And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out into all these vessels, and you shall set aside what is full." So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing {the vessels} to her and she poured. When the vessels were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not one vessel more." And the oil stopped.
2 Kings 4:3-6

Every time I read this passage of scripture, I can’t help but wonder what the possibilities could have been if the widow would have recognized the opportunity God had laid before her. God released a flow in her life whose only limitation was the one she placed upon it.

This woman was the widow of a man who served God and died with unpaid debts. As a result, a creditor was coming to take her sons as slaves in payment of the debt. She approached the man of God expecting that he would give her something to change her situation. However, the man of God in turns asks her a question: “What do you have in the house?” In essence, he said to her: “The real issue is not what do I have to give you; but what do you already have in your possession?” Upon further inspection of her situation she replies, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” What she considered to be “nothing” and “insufficient”, God saw as the very thing He was going to use to deliver her from debt, but give her the opportunity to live debt free for the rest of her, and her son’s life.

The man of God gave her an action plan that involved her using the little she had with her faith in God’s Word. He instructs her to borrow as many vessels as she can and begin to pour the little oil she has into them. As she is in the process of pouring into the vessels that were gathered, something tragic happens. The Bible says, “the oil stopped.” Did God run out of oil, power or provision? Never! Where that oil came from there was plenty more. Then what happened? Why did the oil stop? The oil stopped because she had no more capacity to handle the flow God had initiated in her life. Her capacity had been reached.

As I thought about the widow’s situation, God revealed to me that the same thing is happening in the lives of Believers around the world. They pray to God to meet their needs, but have not developed the capacity to receive what they’ve asked for. Their lack of preparation for His provision and incapacity limits God in what He can do for them. This woman could have seized the opportunity and went into the oil business! With vision to see beyond her present circumstance, she could have sent her son to the market, not only sell the oil they’d received, but to buy larger pot (barrels even) with a portion of the profits from the sale of the oil. As long as there was capacity - God continued the flow. Remember, with every provision of God comes opportunity for greater and enduring provision.

What do you have in your possession that God could use to create a flow in your life? It could be something tangible, intangible or something you possess that is "in house"; like a gift, skill or vision God has given you. Whatever He gave to you, He intends for it to provide for you. You may already have in your midst the answer to your prayers. However, there may not be enough room for what God wants to send your way!