This is an age long question from prophet Elisha to a widow. The background story is that prophet Habakkuk worked with prophet Elisha but he died. Before his death, he owed somebody. So the creditor was coming to collect his money or else take the two sons of prophet Habakkuk as slaves.
The widow was in a very bad condition at this. The husband is dead, she was consoling herself with her two sons. And now the two sons are to be taken by a wicked creditor who wouldn't want any negotiation.
When you see yourself in such a fix, what do you do? The supreme holy book admonishes that we be quiet and know that there is God. Whatever step you take at this point will affect you positively or negatively. It's like standing before police officers that came to arrest you. Whatever you say will be held against you at the station. Be calm and think right. Right thinking will not come until you are calm. It is in that calmness that you can hear the still small voice of God and the voice will tell you what to do. You will hear a small voice behind or even within you, telling you, "this is the way, walk ye in it". God will not abandon you at your difficult time. The footsteps in the sand told a story of a man who saw a vision of his life. He saw himself walking together with God at his good times. Two footsteps right, yeah. But when things became difficult, he saw only one set of footsteps. He became furious at God. But God rightly explained to him that at such difficult times, the one set of footsteps was His and not the man's. God promised never to leave nor forsake us.
Sometimes the solution lies within us.
The widow made a right choice of who to tell her problems. When she relayed her problem to prophet Elisha, two questions were asked, "what can I do for you? What do you have?". She made another choice, the one to answer. You see, when you have any opportunity, don't waste it. Don't play at words. Be specific. Choose your words well.
Her reply is what brought relevance to the topic under consideration. God is tired of looking at tears. He wants to see tangibility. Show God some facts for your blessing. Remember, God is the maker of all. He knows what you have, so there's nobody without something.
When my first son was 3 years in pre School, I had a boutique just across the road. One day I saw him with his care giver matching into my shop and my boy went straight to my purse, took it, opened it and showed the teacher and said, "I told you, my mummy has money". And the teacher laughed. At my enquiry, the teacher said that she cautioned him over playing rough that if he tears the uniform, that the mother might not have money for a new one. That was when the argument started and he had to prove to the teacher that his mother has money. The fact is that everybody has money. We are not talking about the volume. But definitely something is there. After all the widow in question started with the little she had before going out to neighbours.
Some hinge their lives on borrowing this and that. She borrowed yes, but she first started with what she had. Look inside, there is still your own pot of oil. Make use of it first and see what God can do.
It can be a hidden talent, a neglected idea, a forgotten skill, a whatever. Please believe me, you are not empty. God packaged you at creation. He declared that all you need for life and godliness are already inside of you. Now start your journey of exploration and discover to recover and be repositioned. I see you there on top shouting Hallelujah. Just in a split second a widow became an oil merchant. Come on, you can become better. Wake up and get up. Congrats in advance.