Do you dream about stepping out one day to do something really big?
Me too.
I don’t know about you, but I burst with excitement when I hear the phrase do hard things. As I think of going on a mission trip or running a marathon or publishing a book, a huge smile appears on my face. Yet God has not opened those doors for me right now.
In one year, I’ll graduate from high school. I have to admit that in my mind I sometimes think of my graduation as the starting point for my life. As soon as I don’t have to go school anymore, then I can go into the world and spread God’s Word. Then I will be able to prioritize my writing and reach many people. Then God will use me.
And until that time, I’ll just keep reading good books and writing my sweet little essays to get better in my writing and to be prepared for my future.
But as I dream of the hard things I might be doing in the future, I often neglect the great opportunities that God has put in my life right now.
How God taught me this lesson
For a while, I was so busy thinking and praying about my future that I couldn’t see what God had in store for my life right now.
Finally, my eyes were opened. My neighbor, a sweet old lady, had been in the hospital a few days. So on a Sunday afternoon; I decided to go to her house to see her husband and give him a cake I baked for him.
When I came back home I thought it would be time to finally get some writing done, because, after all, that’s important for my future, right? Then, I hesitated. A little bit ashamed, I realized how backwards my thinking was.
Yes, I have to write a lot if I want to become a good writer and maybe get published one day (what I consider a hard thing). But that doesn’t mean I should ignore the little things I can do right now. So I took my backpack, jumped on my bike, and headed to the hospital to visit my neighbor.
Though it wasn’t something big or world-changing, I was right where God was using me.
I know God has a plan for my life and it might not be the time for this plan to be revealed to me. This doesn’t mean, however, that God can’t use me right now.
Doing hard things is about not neglecting the little things.
Start with the little things
One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. (Luke 16:10)
For me, the very little was visiting my neighbor.
Here’s the end of the story. My neighbor was so overwhelmed and glad to see me. She even let me pray for her.
Yes, I dream about reaching many people with my writing and sharing the gospel with people from all over the world one day.
But for today God wanted me to start with this lovely old lady on my street. He wanted me to share my testimony with her and pray for her.
Nobody might ever know the impact a little thing like this visit may have on my neighbor or me. But doing hard things is not about doing the things the world will know. It is about being diligent and faithful in the very little first and being where God wants to use you.
This might just be the beginning. Maybe God will use me in big ways one day. But for now, I’ll be faithful in the very little.
God has a plan for you and he wants to use you in great ways. There is nothing wrong with dreaming about the hard things you might be doing in the future.
But don’t neglect the little things you can do right now. God put them in your life for a reason.
