Start Small and Let God Do It All

By Laura J. Bagby
CBN.com Producer

CBN.com – It is so easy to get overwhelmed when facing new challenges. I know. I do all of the time. You wonder, What do I do? How do I get from where I am now to where I want to be? I can't possibly do this! I am scared to death.

I used to think that I had to be someone rich or famous or devastatingly beautiful or a talented prodigy or incredibly brave or else wait for some talent scout to "discover" me to make something of my life, to really go for it. I used to blame my lot in life on others who I deemed more successful since they seemed to get all the breaks.

But the truth is, if we want to do something in life, to make a mark, then we can't wait for our big breaks to show up, ring the doorbell, and offer to whisk us off to Dream Land. We have to make a start.

So, start where you are right now. Don't look at the back of the textbook, and don't make unreasonable demands on yourself -- like telling yourself you have to do it perfectly the first time. Take a small step in the right direction, even if your step is miniscule and unsure.

Speaking of stepping out in faith, a couple of years ago, I participated in a 5K run. I only trained for about two weeks, which explains being in 12 place…out of 13 in my age group and 182 overall. OK, so seeing the results was a bit depressing, I admit. At first I felt ashamed that I didn't do better, and then increasingly I started thinking about my age and how old I am getting. STOP right there! I had to tell myself. I was missing the point. It isn't always about winning. It's about getting out there and trying.

A lot of life is about showing up. And that goes for our Christian walk as well.

I mean, really, was Moses the best guy to take the Israelites out of Egypt? A few years before God talked to him in the burning bush, Moses murdered an Egyptian and Pharaoh got wind of it. If you were Pharaoh, would you listen to an ex-con? Plus, he didn't have that much confidence in his own abilities, either.

What about Gideon? He was hiding in some winepress when the angel came to offer him a message of encouragement and direct orders from God.

And Esther, she was a Jew, and likely doomed, along with all her people, to die once the king found out her nationality.

All these people weren't "right" for the job, not if we check their resumés, yet when God called to them, "Follow Me," they did. Sure they were scared. Some were downright petrified. A few even questioned the logic of God's appeals. But despite feeling intimidated, and despite their lack, they all decided to trust in the Lord to accomplish what could not be done in the natural.

Their claim to fame, along with ours, is the same: they made themselves available to God, trusting that as they stepped out in faith, just that first step, God would do the rest for them.

I recently heard a really great definition for the word "courage." Maybe like me you came to the erroneous conclusion that courage means that you aren't afraid. But author Bruce Wilkinson says that courage isn't the absence of fear, but rather pressing on despite the fear.

If we wait until we are no longer afraid, we have missed our chance. Do it afraid. Do it with knees knocking and a tightened throat. Who cares if you don't know how to do it? Do it anyway! Do as much as you know how to do, and trust God for the rest.

We don't know what life will bring, we aren't assured of tomorrow, but we can make an impact right where we are today by setting our mind to doing good things, God things, however big or small they may be.

Remember this general rule of greatness: if you want to do something big, you first have to do something small. If you want to do something great, chances are you are going to have to get good at doing the small jobs first. You won't likely do it all in one day, as I often think.

Start small, and watch God step in. When we are faithful in the little, God gives us more. So plant those small seeds in your life, and watch them grow into a bountiful harvest as you trust the Lord.