Little Steps, Big Blessings
ROMANS 12:1
I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
God will always test you for the big things by looking at the little things. I knew at 18 years old that God wanted me to preach. But I started out on street corners and bus stops, not in churches. I would stand in front of bus stops where people were waiting for buses, and I’d go at it. I would instantly have a captive audience of 10 to 20 people. There was no pay involved. There was no fame involved. In fact, I looked rather strange sometimes pacing back and forth on street corners preaching in (what some people call) my loud voice. But I was doing what God wanted me to do. The church came later.
One day, my street-corner sermon led to a moment of decision. A very angry-looking man stood across from me. As I continued to preach, he approached me, placed his hand inside his front coat pocket, and said, “If you keep preaching, I’m going to shoot you.” He glared at me with a hatred I’d never seen before. I knew that preaching was my calling, but I began to question whether a busy street corner in Atlanta in the late 1960s was the right location. At the same time, I prayed, “Lord, I believe You have called me here to preach. I also believe that You heard my prayer for protection, and that You will keep me safe. Yet, Lord, if I perish, I will perish doing Your will.” Just as I finished the prayer, I was filled with an overwhelming confidence, and I continued my preaching with even more passion and volume. The man who had threatened me became more irritated and glared at me, but he eventually walked away. Many of us are waiting for big blessings, but are we willing to be obedient in the small things?
God has since granted me a large church and a national platform, but those didn’t come without years of obedience as I took the steps He asked me to take. If God can’t get you to do little acts of good works, why should He entrust you with even greater opportunities? Always be faithful in the small things. God is watching, and He will reward your obedience to Him.
Dear God, I want to be faithful to You in the little things. I want to honor You in all that I do. Show me where and how You want me to take steps toward my destiny every day. Help me to remember that You are leading me on the perfect path to my purpose.
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