Throughout scripture, we see men and women who have big faith coupled with those who are barely holding on to their mustard seed of faith.
While most of the pack gave a terrifying report after surveying the land, Joshua and Caleb managed to return to Moses with optimism. They had no doubt that they could take the land. Big faith.
Then there’s the childless man to whom God promised descendents as numerous as the stars in the sky. Abraham must have had big faith. But what about Sarah? She laughed when they told her she would bear a child. That’s doesn’t seem very faith-filled.
And yet God made good on each of these promises. So does that mean He worked in spite of them? Perhaps. God’s purposes will always stand, regardless of our reactions. But I think He prefers to include us in the journey. I think that is the part that pleases Him; when we trust Him enough to participate.
Big faith inspires us, but small steps are what move us. Rarely does God allow us to leap into His purposes. More often we find that we are moving one step at a time. For some, this is a natural pace. One moment, one step, one thing at a time. Let me just focus on what is right in front of me.
God’s purposes will always stand, regardless of our reactions.
For others, the visionaries of the world, one step at a time is torturous. They’d rather skip over the to-do list and live in the big picture. And we need both of these types of people.
I was recently speaking with one of my “big faith” friends, and we were recounting the journey she’s been on for the last six or so years. She’s made a few drastic geographic moves in her life, all because God said, “Go!” and she said “Yes!” without checking the map.
And then, things got tough. Not the kind of tough that you plow through. Not the kind of tough that we Christians often view as spiritual oppression or a sign that you’re on the right track (otherwise, why would Satan be attacking you?). More like the kind of tough you begin to experience when the grace for that particular season is ending.
When God calls us back to the starting block, it is tempting to feel like we have failed. But that’s not necessarily the case.
So she moved again. This time, back home. When God calls us back to the starting block, it is tempting to feel like we have failed. But that’s not necessarily the case. Not for my friend, not for me, and not for anyone else who has ever gone home. There’s always a reason, but we don’t always get to know what it is.
In her case, she spent the last several years looking for the next big faith move. It seemed to elude her, as she tried one thing after another without the success she was looking for. Meanwhile, she just kept walking. One foot in front of the other. One job to the next. One application to another.
Now, six years later, she has begun to feel like God is giving her permission to dream big again. But it isn’t the same. In her time at home, when things weren’t going the way she expected, God was doing something. He was teaching her the importance of “one thing at a time.” Not only that, but He taught her to love the small steps. One foot in front of the other.
There’s always a reason, but we don’t always get to know what it is.
She didn’t need help having big faith. That came naturally. But now, she has a new super power: the combination of big faith and small steps. What a gift.
When things don’t go the way we expected, may we have the ability to accept everything that comes from God’s hand. The big faith and the small steps. We need both. He is in both. And our ability to operate in both will be the means by which others see His faithfulness.
He doesn’t give us big faith for an impossible vision without also giving us the small steps it takes to accomplish the impossible. One thing at a time.
He doesn’t give us big faith for an impossible vision without also giving us the small steps it takes to accomplish the impossible. One thing at a time.
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