And as soon as I tangle myself up in belief I quit. I give up, I throw in the towel, I let the squirrels win. (If you’ve never read, I have had some epic battles with squirrels so much so that my wife recently met someone at our neighborhood pool who remarked, “I met you before, your husband was trying to kill a squirrel.” That’s apparently my reputation in the streets.)
But lately I’ve started to believe that life change isn’t always about some monumental adventure like moving to a cave in Antarctica to witness to 17 scientists. I've started to think it can be about doing one small thing. I've started to see that little things have big impact.
Have you ever experienced that? Have you ever done something or learned something small that made a big difference? I’ll go first with two examples:
1. I like to whine to myself, "I wish I read the Bible more." And then not read the Bible more. And then whine again. It's a fun little cycle. So instead of doing my typical "I need to be a Bible expert and read the entire thing in one sitting" approach, I've been reading a chapter of Proverbs every morning. It’s short, powerful and matched to the days of the month. I find it’s always easier if I have an accountability partner. This September I’m going to start keeping track of it on Twitter for a solid month. No deep message or anything, I’m just going to say one time each day, “I read Proverbs ## today, thought verse ____ was interesting.” But maybe we can hold each other accountable to doing something small. If you’d like to read along and try it for a month with me follow me on Twitter.
2. I once wrote about something that my counselor said when I told him I felt like I was wrestling with God on some issues. He said, "God loves that." This is not the answer I was expecting. I thought he would say, "You need to trust the Lord more." Or "You need to let go and let God." But he didn't say that. Instead he remarked, "Jon, do you know what is true about wrestling? Have you ever stopped to think about the nature of wrestling? God loves to wrestle with us, because you can't wrestle with someone who is far away. They have to be close to you. It's a very intimate, personal activity." And I think he was right. I think that God wants me close. I think He wants me near to His side, close enough to feel His breath and know His strength. And when I approach to wrestle over an issue with Him, like Jacob wrestling, I don't think He is angry. I think He is happy, because I am close. Sure, I want to surrender and trust without question, but I no longer see wrestling as instant failure.
But lately I’ve started to believe that life change isn’t always about some monumental adventure like moving to a cave in Antarctica to witness to 17 scientists. I've started to think it can be about doing one small thing. I've started to see that little things have big impact.
Have you ever experienced that? Have you ever done something or learned something small that made a big difference? I’ll go first with two examples:
1. I like to whine to myself, "I wish I read the Bible more." And then not read the Bible more. And then whine again. It's a fun little cycle. So instead of doing my typical "I need to be a Bible expert and read the entire thing in one sitting" approach, I've been reading a chapter of Proverbs every morning. It’s short, powerful and matched to the days of the month. I find it’s always easier if I have an accountability partner. This September I’m going to start keeping track of it on Twitter for a solid month. No deep message or anything, I’m just going to say one time each day, “I read Proverbs ## today, thought verse ____ was interesting.” But maybe we can hold each other accountable to doing something small. If you’d like to read along and try it for a month with me follow me on Twitter.
2. I once wrote about something that my counselor said when I told him I felt like I was wrestling with God on some issues. He said, "God loves that." This is not the answer I was expecting. I thought he would say, "You need to trust the Lord more." Or "You need to let go and let God." But he didn't say that. Instead he remarked, "Jon, do you know what is true about wrestling? Have you ever stopped to think about the nature of wrestling? God loves to wrestle with us, because you can't wrestle with someone who is far away. They have to be close to you. It's a very intimate, personal activity." And I think he was right. I think that God wants me close. I think He wants me near to His side, close enough to feel His breath and know His strength. And when I approach to wrestle over an issue with Him, like Jacob wrestling, I don't think He is angry. I think He is happy, because I am close. Sure, I want to surrender and trust without question, but I no longer see wrestling as instant failure.
Those are two little things I’ve seen have a big impact in my own life.
How about you?
What’s something little you’ve done that made a big change into the way you spend your day, the way you communicate with friends, the way you read the Bible, etc.? It can be an idea, a new action, anything.
What’s something little you’re doing right now? Or something little someone did for you that meant a lot?
Post a comment and tell us because someone on the other side of the planet might need something little today too.
Earlier this year we expected to be moving house, changing our lives and 'doing something amazing for God'.
ReplyDeleteHowever, over the last few months God has been showing us that my concieved ideas of 'amazing' aren't really the same as his. I've learnt that doing the small things, and giving God a sacrafice of praise in all things is just as important as being a missionary in outer mongolia.
Great post - thanks :)
Our something little ( the concept ) is about to change our entire lives. We had this little thought - God wants us out of debt 100% - so from that one little thought we sold the house, are buying a landcruiser and a caravan and are taking 6 children around Australia until God says otherwise.
ReplyDelete"God loves to wrestle with us, because you can't wrestle with someone who is far away. They have to be close to you."
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing that quote with us - it's a really powerful thought.
And you're right - it's the small things that make the big things happen.
For me one of the biggest "small" things was coming to the realization that God had a different idea of what was really important than me. Now one of the biggest things is really trying to be fully present and in the moment with whoever I'm with, whether it's my husband or my students or my friends. I'm so much more aware of how we impact each other's lives and how amazing it is to have them in my life.
ReplyDeleteMy little thing:
ReplyDeleteThrow out the bible reading plans. Just read the bible in order. Cover to cover. Start at Genesis and end at Revelations. Don't skip anything, even the boring and gross parts. (Did you know how many chapters Leviticus talks about skin rashes?)
Context is tremendous. Reading the whole thing, in the order it appears, starts to convey the context that God wanted to convey.
The most significant thing I've done in general is to make priorities and stick to them. If you want to read the Bible more and watch less TV then turn it off. I guess if I had to sum it up it would be that I want to live with intentionality. I want what I'm doing to be what I want to do based on my values and priorities.
ReplyDeleteThree years ago, I went through an incredible experience with God after my mom was in a near-fatal car accident. Once she had recovered and things had calmed down in our lives a bit, I realized that I missed the closeness I had felt to God while Mom's condition was critical, when I prayed nearly all the time. I realized then that the time that I spend getting ready for work each morning is perfect for prayer. I'm in the bathroom, with no distractions, and I have a full hour to just talk to God. It's the best way I can think of to start the day.
ReplyDeleteYou want to get even more crazy in proverbs? Whatever day you were born on I think that days proverb applies that much more. My birthday is the 15th and it's a challenge for me to live out, "A gentle answer turns away wrath ~ 15:1)
ReplyDeleteI'm in the middle of a situation right now in which it is really difficult to just trust God and not worry. I asked a counselor friend of mine what I should do, and she said that the therapeutic thing is always something different from what you normally do. Since normally when I get frustrated I just stop talking to God altogether, I decided to start writing a prayer journal.
ReplyDeleteI read a little bit of the Bible every day and write a little bit about it in the form of a letter to God. I write about what I learned about him and what I learned about me from what I read. It only takes half an hour, and I get to wrestle with God every day :)
As long as you don't wear one of those silly unitard wrestling outfits while wrestling with God, it's Okay.
ReplyDeleteWrestling is also a good sign of life- when there's no more fight within-that means you gave up.
Lots of good thoughts to take away here today.
Nic @ Nite - my bday is the 3rd. Interesting how Prov 3:5-6 is one of my life verses b/c it helped me through the first 3 yrs of being a believer and watching God clean up the mess I had made of my life by going it alone for 30 something years.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm a single mom, 3 kids (1 in college, 1 in HS and 1 in preschool) and facing the possibility of losing my job. My "small thing" is that God has taught me to TRUST Him, which I can't truly do unless I give Him control. The "big thing" is the peace He gives me each and every day to do exactly that.
Thank you so much for a new perspective on wrestling with God.
ReplyDeleteI think in my mind I'd confused wrestling with God with being in conflict with God. I don't understand something He's doing in my life so He challenges me to some big UFC match that He knows I can't win and beats the truth into me. I find it especially distasteful because I've always hated the sport of wrestling and God knows that, so to me wrestling with Him seemed doubly cruel.
But my perspective doesn't make sense or line up with the rest of His word. Yours does. And now I'm beginning to understand the conflict I've had between my dislike of how He's working in my life and the simultaneous bombardment of messages about how much He loves me that He keeps sending my way.
Once again, thanks Jon.
I keep a gratitude journal. At the end of each day, I jot down something (or some things) that have blessed me and I am thankful for. It helps me put my day in perspective and have a heart of gratitude even on the days that haven't gone so well. I highly recommend it!
ReplyDeleteMy something little is keeping my Bible out on the table. That way, in between feeding messy bites of food to my kids, I can catch a verse or two.
ReplyDeleteAbout 3 or 4 years we had a tyrant leader in charge at work, and morale was nonexistent. Even my normally optimistic attitude was affected. Like everyone else, I wondered if it was time to move on. I frequently asked God what I should do, what His plan was for my life, but I never got a clear answer.
ReplyDeleteThen I changed the focus of my prayers. Instead of asking his plan for my LIFE, I started asking his plan for TODAY. "God, what do you want me to accomplish today? What opportunities will I have to serve you before I put my head on the pillow tonight?" Funny how when I phrased it like that, I always got an answer. Every. Single. Time.
That taught me better than anything else could have that it's a mistake to focus so much on the future that you lose sight of today. God needs us to serve Him right wherever we happen to be. I outlasted that tyrant boss, and I'm still at the same job. God just wasn't ready for me to move on yet. He had work for me there as a positive light in a sea of discontent.
Gosh some of y'all's "little things" are HUGE!!!
ReplyDeleteI have started trying to be more present.
Turning off the cell phone when I am with a friend. Not looking at texts, incoming calls, anything-- focusing completely on that person.
For years I have also been doing random "I love you" calls when I think of dear friends, and now I have switched to random emails. When I feel moved to praise someone I write them a short or long email and tell them why I love them/how awesome they are...
I just don't want to leave the Earth and not have anyone be uncertain how much they meant to me.
In line with wrestling with God, while at Bible College, I really struggled with doubts and questions about my faith & the Bible. And I felt more or less alone in this because I was one of the only ones ever bringing up my questions in class or challenging what was being said...
ReplyDeleteMy mentor told me that anyone who actually thinks and engages their faith is going to doubt and have questions. He said he is more concerned about the Christians who have none.
It was a huge help to me to hear that. And it helped me keep my doubts in perspective; to not let them overtake me.
I had the whole "MOVE TO _____(insert country here)____" thing too and couldn't figure out why God wasn't moving us.
ReplyDeleteI am a Youth Sunday School teacher, and right now, the only adult female who is constant and very much involved in the lives of these girls. God showed me that I am making a huge impact in the lives of the more "at risk" kids and right now, He needs me here, not Mexico/China/Myanmar/etc. That may change later because He has given me a sort of vision for the future involving photography and mission work, but right now, He is perfecting ME, and while I'm improving, I'm improving those around me.
I am 36....errr....ummm....28 years old and I've never read the entire Bible. I've read a lot of it, but have never made the effort (and accomplished it) to actually read the entire Bible. This year God challenged me to do it, and I took Him up on it. I found a plan I could follow (New Living Version put into a daily reading I just open up to the day and read) and I am about 3/4 of the way through! HUGE thing for me!
And the other thing (since I haven't written a book here already. Sorry) is my prayer journal. I just took a small spiral and I write down the things I want to remember to pray for everyday, and I MAKE the time to communicate with God. It's helped a TON! And God told me to introduce the Youth girls to the practice and prayer journal, so I bought all my Youth girls one too. And I ask them all the time now how they are doing with it and if they have any prayer requests for ME to pray for. It has really brought us all a lot closer.
And I've blogged the entire experience. So I have hundreds of accountibility partners that keep me on the path that God wants me on.
Thanks for sharing your heart with us! I LOVE your blog!
In ministry, I have found that the little things matter the most. I challenged myself for 6 months to just write a note to someone in the church. Basically, it was just a "thanks for doing this", or a "I hope you are feeling better", or just something to say that they were appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThis was huge for so many people and I am reminded through this post that I should keep doing this.
I wave at a little old man when I walk past his home on my way to work.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea this little thing mattered to him, until one day he stopped me to explain.
On this particular day, I was feeling like my life in general was kind unimportant and small. I'd moved to a Chinese village to go do something BIG for God, but I'd spent two years doing a whole lot of stuff that seemed pretty insignificant to me. So there I was walking to work all Eeyore-like and glum when this old man stopped me.
Very carefully in Chinese, he explained that his wife had died recently, leaving him with no family. He kept pointing over at the morning glories across the road and said, "You're like that. You're my flower I see every morning." He told me he didn't need me to stop and talk to him or anything - he just wanted me to keep waving.
This touched me so deeply because it reminded me that the Kingdom of God really is like Jesus said. He described it as being like a man going out in a field, scattering seed. One man, planting something very, very small.
And so I continue to walk by this sweet old Chinese man every day - and I wave.
I put a sticky note on my bathroom wall to remind me, every morning after my shower, to take a moment to pray.
ReplyDeleteOur pastor recently said, "Adam & Eve believed a lie & chose to believe that God did not have their best interests at heart."
ReplyDeleteI had never thought of it that way. And of course the pastor's challenge, "Do you believe that God has your best interests at heart?" cut me to the core. Because, often, i don't. When i think my life is not having the "happy ending" i desire, it is hard for me to trust that God still is working for my best interest.
A few months ago I found a read-through-the-Bible RSS feed, and that's really gotten me on track with Bible reading. I read blogs every day -- why not have my scripture reading in the same format? Seeing it on my Google Reader is convicting, encouraging, and reminds me to pray, too.
ReplyDeleteI also like the practice of jotting down three things I'm thankful for at the end of every day. It changes the way I see the world, especially on bad days.
Scripture on an index card...when a scripture speaks to a certain "wrestling match" I am in, I write the scripture on an index card and put it in the kitchen somewhere. I spend alot of time in the kitchen and it keeps me in the Word even as I cook. I also have index cards tucked in my purse, taped to my mirrors and at my bedside. (I heard this idea from Beth Moore and it has truly blessed me.)
ReplyDeleteMy wife got me started in making a "Gratitude List" every day (well, not today, for some reason). But we each write on the bathroom mirror five things we are thankful for that day. Only done it twice but it's been a great exercise.. and given me lots of things to be thankful for.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I started with that B90X program Elevation Church started.. Bible in 90 days. It's really been interesting. I was doing the Proverbs-a-day thing but I let B90X take over... but now I may do Proverbs too. When you're reading 10-12 chapters of OT history a day, what's one more chapter of Proverbs? :)
Thanks, Jon, as always.
I've always loved this quote from C.S. Lewis on never giving up:
ReplyDelete"We may, indeed, be sure that perfect chastity-like perfect charity-will not be attained by any merely human efforts. You must ask for God’s help. Even when you have done so, it may seem to you for a long time that no help, or less help than you need, is being given. Never mind. After each failure, ask forgiveness, pick yourself up, and try again. Very often what God first helps us towards is not the virtue itself but just this power of always trying again. For however important chastity (or courage, or truthfulness, or any other virtue) may be, this process trains us in habits of the soul which are more important still. It cures our illusions about ourselves and teaches us to depend on God. We learn, on the one hand, that we cannot trust ourselves even in our best moments, and on the other, that we need not despair even in our worst, for our failures are forgiven. The only fatal thing is to sit down content with anything less than perfection."
Taken from “Mere Christianity,” by C.S. Lewis
I'm a 5th grade teacher. My little thing is a prayer every morning during our moment of silence at school. "Lord please help me to love each of my students the way your son loves me."
ReplyDeleteI suppose knowing that God can use us, no matter how broken we are - that gives me the courage to do things for Him. Knowing that I don't have to be at some "thou art holy" place in my life in order to encourage a friend or ask God for something I don't deserve - that's pretty liberating. Because let's face it, I really don't deserve anything; life is a gift.
ReplyDeleteIn a training I was taught, "What you focus on, you will get more of." It has changed the way I look at EVERYTHING! If I want to feel loved more, I notice love...If I want to be drawn more to God, I focus on God...if I want my children to stop fighting, I focus on kindness in the home...get the idea? It's simple, it's beautiful, and it goes a long way.
ReplyDeleteThis year, I've been consistently listening to the Daily Audio Bible podcast. I tend to miss weekends. They just seemed busier.
ReplyDeleteWhich led to the realization that I work like a dog every day of the week. I am driving my family nuts. I am anxious all the time. I have insomnia. And then I realized that I need to take a Sabbath. Tomorrow is my first time to give God a day when I rest and believe he will make things work out. I'm scared to death.
i teach jr/sr high sunday school and youth group once/month. I have my own company,family,projects...etc. There are tons of excuses...more excuses than verses in Psalms 119.
ReplyDeletelately i've been reading Psalms 119 a section at a time and then the Proverb chapter for that day. I'm studying for Acts and Nehemiah for teaching. I look for devotional stuff to challenge me. Otherwise, I'm just a busy Christian.
I cannot neglect my personal spiritual development as a husband, father, consultant, pastor, creative director, lawn-mower, racooon-chaser, muppet-heckler-like-tendencies, blogger, networking, friend,
{thanks jon}
These all seem to be big things instead of little things (with a few exceptions. Wonderful story about the Chinese man!).I guess really little things are hard to come by and keep doing because they don't ask as much attention and thus seem less important.
ReplyDeleteA few weeks ago I started writing down what I felt were promises or important parts of the chapter I was reading every morning in my Bible. It's definitely helped me discover some things I didn't see at first about God, and helped me look and think more about His Word when I'm reading so I'll have something to write when I'm finished.
ReplyDeleteAnother great post. Keep up the good work. God bless. ^_^
Thanks for what you said about wrestling with God being ok. I needed to hear that.
ReplyDeletesimply not being afraid to let people know im a true blue christian. that my life is centered on it. that 75% of books i read are either the Bible or Bible related.
ReplyDeleteThree things:
ReplyDelete1. I started spending time with God every morning. Usually it's only about 20-25 minutes, but it makes the most amazing difference!
2. I started believing God when He tells me things. Example-when He says He thinks I'm beautiful rather than thinking about all the reasons why I don't think I'm beautiful I simply say thank You and I rejoice in the fact that I have a God who adores me.
3. I started listening to Christian music most of the time. It makes the biggest difference! It's like I'm in this continual state of worship. It's amazing.
God bless you all!
Hannah
I just printed Robert Murray M'Cheyne's bible reading plan and hung it on the wall right where I spend a LOT of wasted time... next to my computer. So far that's been a big help with #1.
ReplyDeleteI love this post today. Ever since I read it for the first time (not very long ago), I have loved the Jacob story, for exactly the reasons you mentioned. God let Jacob wrestle with him, even though he easily could have pinned him to the mat and gotten the whole thing over with. But he wrestled with Jacob through the whole night, because he knew that's what Jacob needed. This tells me it's okay to wrestle with God, and this gives me great peace, because I do a lot of wrestling with God.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, on to the one small thing: this is something someone else did for me. On Friday, as I was experiencing a yucky bit of stomach distress right when I had to bring my son to school, I ran next door, and my neighbor graciously offered to bring him for me. It doesn't sound like much, but at the time, I was in full-out panic mode, trying to figure out how I was going to get Noah to school on time when I was chained to the bathroom. Thank God for my neighbor Marge!
We haven't had TV at all for almost 7 weeks. It's been Amazingly great. I wasn't a huge TV person..but I did rely on it for background noise and of course NBC's Thursday Night line up. I haven't turned into a saint or anything since being w/o it, but I've been able to refocus my energy on things around the house and quality time w/ my husband. It's made me think about other things I could consider doing w/o .. I'm growing fonder of the Less is More approach.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to your Tweets!
Hmmm, well, this isn't the height of spirituality, but I wanted to exercise more. And like you, I was sick of saying "I want to exercise more" and then not exercising more. So I moved the big exercise ball and rubber tension band into the living room where I spend the most time. It's a bit of an eye sore, but luckily I have no shame when it comes to the way our apartment looks. And it gets me to exercise more...so I've got that going for me, which is nice.
ReplyDeleteP.S. LOVE the wrestling thing. I've had a vague, similar notion of that before but couldn't articulate it. So I'm stealing this one.
Since I've had my son about 10.5 months ago, I've been very overwhelmed by the future. Didn't expect this to happen, but it did when he was born prematurely and I instantly felt buried. So my small step has been taking one minute at a time. Then one day, one week, etc. I don't beat myself up if I (like you mentioned) don't sit down and read the whole Bible at once, but I do make a point to read it and talk to God honestly everyday. Those are some of my small steps. This is a concept God has been growing in me a while and I love that He accepts small steps and big ones, as long as we do them with a heart that desires Him.
ReplyDeleteWord verification: "Pretru" = prophesy
Small things done with great love. That's what Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta said and also what St Therese too. The little thing I do and have done since I was very young has been to actually speak to people. I mean, I'll be standing in line at the store and see a woman in front or behind me looking for all the world like they've been having a really bad day and I'll find something to open a conversation with them. I'll come straight on and say "You look like you wish you'd stayed in bed today." The next thing you know, I'm getting their entire life story and whatever their present day hurts are and I'll just listen. Too many people just don't take the time to really shut up and listen to others. It seems to amke such a difference for them...to have someone think they are important enough to speak to, acknowledge and want to listen to them. Even a smile and a heart-felt happy greeting to someone whose eyes you happen to meet in passing seems to bring a bit of the same happiness to them...something they can take with them into their day. It's really just a small thing...but the impact it can have can be huge. You just don't know if the person you just held the door open for and greeted with genuine warmth was depressed enough to consider taking their life and that little bit of out reach on your part made just enough of a difference to them to give thenm enough strength to get through that day without self destructing.
ReplyDeleteI'm bed-bound and every slight movement, even talking, causes heart failure. All I can do is write a few sentences on this iPod I'm on whilst lying flat. So I try to raise awareness of the illness I have through Twitter by trying to get people to retweet this: RT @Stroopwaffle: Severe M.E. and me: My Story: http://tinyurl.com/d3o9td . It's a small thing, but each person who reads it means another person who now understands the illness.
ReplyDeletewell, for one thing, as i read this post i had that line from veggie tales running through my head: "big people do big things, and little people do little things" and then "little guys can do big things too!"
ReplyDeleteanyway, one thing i thought of was little encouraging notes that people have left for me. like one that my suitemate (i'm in college) left for me once that said "hey, i already cleaned the bathroom, you don't have to do anything". she had just felt like cleaning, but the God thing is that i came back home to see that note after having a really crappy experience. so yeah, a little thing can have big ramifications.
p.s. Rachel, it's funny you mention being a missionary in "outer mongolia" because i'm planning to be a missionary and my mom says that all the time- "when you're a missionary in outer mongolia..."
My newest attack-plan for fixing my life is two-fold.
ReplyDelete1. I made a crazy-detailed schedule of this week, to plan in everything I think I need for a healthy, balanced life (including un-planned time).
2. I'm taking it bit by bit. Like your read the Bible story, I focus on the task at hand and don't worry about the rest. So this morning I read my Bible for the first time in AGES, even though I felt too poorly to do morning yoga - which is clearly in the same time-block as Bible-reading on my schedule. Not letting one "failure" deter me from other successes.
One tip: if you're Jacob-wrestling, careful not to expose your hip, or He will mess you up.
ReplyDeleteI'm the church janitor, and when I started there a long long time ago, the (then) church secretary put the fear into me. The fear of being a woman working alone in a building when "strange" people may bang on the door at any time of day with any type of strange request. Her command to me: Lock the door at all times, and keep yourself hidden if necessary.
ReplyDeleteOne day God taught me how to hand over that fear and open the door when someone comes to it. And that he has provision in place for whatever need comes along. That was a grand day. And my wonderful job has never been the same since.
I joined a Scripture Memory Challenge this year (just 2 a month) & installed a flash card app on my iPhone so that I could work on memorizing the 24 verses while riding the shuttle from my parking garage to work, or waiting in the lobby at the dr's office, etc. I can't even tell you what a difference just having those 24 little verses in my brain have made! When something comes up that just has me by the throat, the Spirit has been faithful to bring just the right bit of truth to my mind.
ReplyDeletewv: Sanghter - when singing turns to laughter. In a sentence - my friend farted next to me during worship yesterday, our singing turned quickly to sanghter.
Doing the Proverbs challenge with you on Twitter. I like following the #SCLPRO hashtag to see what other readers are pulling out of the chapter, too.
ReplyDeleteAlaska Stafford thanks for the CS Lewis quote!