Leftovers. Either you hate them or love them. I fall into the camp of loving them. I particularly like leftovers that can be recreated into a new dish. That’s what I did for our lunch yesterday.

A few days prior I made a Mississippi pot roast. I will say, I had given up on a beef roast until I had this. It is simple and so, so good! Anyway, there were leftovers that night: pot roast and green beans. On Monday, I cut up a small yellow onion and sauted it in some bacon grease (another of my once in awhile indulgences), added a cup or so of frozen hashbrowns and let that cook a few minutes. Meanwhile, I chopped up the leftover pot roast, added it to the potatoes and onions and put the green beans on top of it all. I put on a lid and let it cook for about five minutes or so. Stirred it a couple of times, let it simmer some more. When everything was hot, I added the drippings from the pot roast and finished heating it. Yum! It is a masterful use of leftovers and one of my all time favorite comfort meals.

As I put that together, I thought about how God works in my life. Sometimes I feel all I have to offer is leftovers. Leftover energy, handful of patience, a pinch of love, and not much else. But somehow, God takes whatever is there, sprinkles it with the Holy Spirit and POW! He does something miraculous.

I notice that sometimes life feels a bit like leftovers. Not much new going on, the same routine day after day, waiting on the breakthrough from doldrums to magnificent. And then God does the unbelievable, he takes routine and every day and uses it in some way that is completely surprising.

And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son…

Romans 8:27-29

Although this verse is overused and so familiar, it is resoundingly true. Nothing has happened, is happening or will happen to you that is outside of God’s ability to put together, sprinkle with the Holy Spirit and do the miraculous. Even if it is just turning your sour mood into one of joy. Give him the leftovers and let him work his magic.