Small Things

“For who has despised the day of small things.” Zechariah 5:3

Do you sense God has called you to bigger and better things? Has He given you a vision for a ministry that is beyond you, yet you know it is for you? Are you stuck in neutral as you are waiting for it to unfold?

Sometimes we want the prominent before we walk through the petty; we seek the splendid instead of the small. But serving God is seldom a battle for position rather an aligning of our will to His. How, where and to what extent we serve is entirely up to Him.

While it’s part of our DNA to desire to accomplish more, the goal is not to do more. The goal is to know Him more each obedient step of the way and let Him define the extent of our accomplishments.

This has been a hard one for a girl whose favorite quote is, “Attempt great things for God, expect great things from God.” ~ William Carey. But the ultimate purpose in attempting great things for God must always be motivated by a heart that knows Him and desires to make Him known.

It’s an odd phenomena, but those who have been called into the ministry must be very careful that their work does not become the object of their worship. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the grandness of the call and neglect to focus on the greatness of God.

Small things may be where He choses to leave us because we’d crumble under the weight of something bigger. But small things are just as important to God as the big things.

He gives significance to extending a cup of water in His name, to serving dinner to a stranger, to comforting a hurting heart. These are small things, but in the grander scheme of things, God gives them significance.

Yes, small things may be stepping stones to bigger things to come. But He reminds us that our faithfulness to fulfill His call to small things is a determining factor to His willingness to call us to bigger things. He doesn’t call us to bigger if we haven’t been faithful to the small things first.

‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’ Luke 19:17

Have you missed God’s call to the small things because you can only focus on the big things? Are you content to know that our faithfulness to fulfill His call to the small things is as important as accomplishing the big things? Do you know you’ve been called to something bigger than yourself, but you’ve struggled with each small step on the way? I’d love to hear about where you are in your ministry – what God has called you to – what challenges you have met in your journey.

I’d love to spend part of my week with you. Click here to subscribe and join me for a journey that may look much like your own.

8 Comments

  1. Such truth here, Stephanie, and a great reminder for me this week. I know God knows just how much I need and when to open new doors of opportunity. I've been meditating on Paul's testimony of contentment in all things. It's a daily “giving over” to trust the Lord to unfold new things in His timing and to be faithful in those things He has already given me.

  2. I love that verse … and it has been such an encouragement to me lately as I feel like the past few weeks have been “days of small things.” But in this time I am learning to see God in new ways.

    Thank you for sharing with us!

  3. Hi Julie ~ God opened a huge door of opportunity for my hubby this week and he had to pray it though. It was so exciting to see God show Himself strong on behalf of those He loves.

    I want you to know you impact my life!

  4. Hi Teri Lynne ~ I was in the “valley of small things” for several years. It's not easy to be content with the small, when God has previously entrusted you with the big. But I think that time was a reminder for me that He is my life…not the work that I do for Him.

  5. Once again you have hit a nail right on the head, Stephanie.

    Thanks for your insigtful, transparant posts.

    Jean
    http://www.jeanmatthewhall.blogspot.com

  6. Thanks so much for your sweet and affirming words, Jean! You are such a blessing!

    I still feel like I know you from somewhere. 🙂

  7. I loved this, Stephie! Such great truth. I love this: “Small things may be where He choses to leave us because we'd crumble under the weight of something bigger.” And I love the little things, like living in Lilliput!

  8. You have no idea how much I was nodding as I was reading this. This is exactly where I am now – knowing that something is on the way but not knowing what it is or how to get there and it's driving me insane so thank you for being willing to let God use you and your blog to share this. Would love to stay in contact more. Blessings – cdfroggy@hotmail.com

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