I read this in a book once: “When you take little steps, you don’t need God.” Well, I know what the author means—don’t just try to stay safe and comfortable; ask God for big ways to serve Him–and I actually find it somewhat inspiring. But this sentence also leaves me feeling a little guilty, because I feel like that’s all I EVER do, is take little steps!
So here’s my philosophy, and I think my cousin and his wife (D & C) are a great example of it:
Today, May 21, is D & C’s 6th anniversary. Before they had been married for a year, they had plans to adopt three children through international adoption, and actually got them about a year later. Now—as an adoptive parent myself, I can attest to the fact that this is NOT a LITTLE STEP! BUT . . . if their life is anything like mine, their current days are filled with “little” steps in order to keep taking that “big” step. In fact, that was one thing I specifically wanted through adoption: I said, I want to commit to something so big that I need God all the time, and don’t have any opportunity to waste my time. I want my life to count for eternity. So I need to remind myself (and maybe my cousin!) that these daily, non-glorious and sometimes mundane (but diligent!) steps are fulfilling God’s greater purpose, and “preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison . . .” (2 Co. 4:17b)
Happy Anniversary, D & C! You are a godly example to all of us!
P.S. I should add that they are soon to be a family of five children!
~ Simple Diligence ~ 
Posted by Mrs. Erven on May 23, 2011 at 7:29 am
I follow your hubby’s blog, and he recommended you. 🙂 I wanted to tell you this post is incredibly timely for me.
I heard a similar idea in a sermon recently about how we often pray for things that don’t “need” divine intervention. (i.e. praying for a safe trip when you’re going to drive safely and legally and everyone’s going to wear their seat belts)
Anyway, I stopped praying for me to “find the time” or get up early enough to meet with the Lord each day, because I thought, “Well, it’s me who’s not ‘finding the time’ and staying up too late. This isn’t really a ‘divine’ issue.”
Thank you for posting this and reminding me that praying through all the little things are the prayers that follow through to the big things. (And yes. I know it’s still my responsibility to make time to enjoy the presence of the Lord and go to bed early.) 🙂
Posted by simplediligence on May 23, 2011 at 10:49 am
Thank you for this important reminder, too! I sometimes forget to PRAY about my little steps because they’re so habitual, like you indicated.
Posted by Sara Shull on May 23, 2011 at 11:42 am
Good Morning! Here I am finally getting to read your wonderful blog on a screen larger than 2 inches. I recently went to a mom’s encouragement group in our area where an “experienced mom” was encouraging us to trust God for “impossible” things and she had some lovely and dramatic examples about the Lord providing amazing answers for difficult, “impossible’ needs in their life. So her challenge was “What are you trusting God for?” (and she meant big things). During the discussion, I commented that I was at a point in my life with 10 kids (and six of them age 7 and younger!) where my thoughts were “What am I not trusting God with! I literally cannot do one thing on my own – on my own, I should just stay in bed and give up!” and what I meant was my life seems so impossibly filled with little things that must be done that whenever I finish one thing – no matter how small – it is a cause for thanksgiving that the Lord guided my steps, provided strength, focus, etc so that I managed to get one thing done without getting overwhelmed. The Lord has indeed filled my life in such a way that I need God all the time (as you mentioned), which leads to praying continually (and seeing his faithfulness in small gifts to me all the time!), which leads to having unexpected joy in such a crazy life. I have no idea what that mother thought of me needing God’s help for every little small thing – but it certainly is true. I think of it as walking through the good works which God has prepared in advance for us to do. (For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. ~Ephesians 2:10) ~ Thanks for reminding us all that all BIG THINGS are accomplished in small, simple ways… one little step at a time.
Posted by simplediligence on May 23, 2011 at 11:55 am
Amen, Sara! You said it better than I did, and that’s EXACTLY what I meant! I’m so glad you feel the same way! Thanks for commenting! 🙂