Scripture & Hope
God Is in Control: Trusting Him When the Math Doesn't Work

Justin Franich
January 10, 2026 · 2 min read

Is My Arm Too Short?
Numbers 11:23
"The Lord answered Moses, 'Is the Lord's arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.'"
Moses did the math and it didn't work.
Six hundred thousand men. Not counting women and children. In the middle of a desert. And God just promised them meat for a whole month.
Moses looked around. No flocks. No herds. No quail flying overhead. Just sand and manna and a promise that made no sense.
So he asked the obvious question: Where is all this meat going to come from?
God's response was another question: Is my arm too short?
Then the quail came. The scripture says they piled up three feet off the ground. Bushels of birds. More than anyone could eat. So much it came out of their nostrils.
That's the God we serve. Not a God of barely enough. A God of so much it's almost ridiculous.
I think about that question when I look at the things people are praying for. The prodigal who's been gone for years. The addiction that won't break. The marriage that feels beyond repair. The diagnosis that stole all hope. The finances that don't add up no matter how many times you run the numbers.
Is his arm too short?
He's big enough to bring them home. Big enough to break the chains. Big enough to heal what's broken. Big enough to provide when the math doesn't work.
The question isn't whether God can do it. The question is whether we'll trust him long enough to see it.
His arm isn't short. Pray like you believe that.
Hear more on our podcast: The Biggest Mistake People Make Waiting for the Storm to End
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Justin Franich
Justin Franich is a former meth addict, Teen Challenge graduate, and pastor who has been clean since 2005. Today he's a husband, father, and Executive Director of Shenandoah Valley Adult Teen Challenge. He hosts the Rebuilding Life After Addiction podcast and helps families across the U.S. navigate faith-based recovery options, compare programs, and rebuild life after addiction.
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