Trust God, Love People: A 5-Day Reading PlanSample

Small Beginnings

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin,” Zechariah 4:10a

Two decades ago, I made the prayerful, yet spontaneous, decision to quit my job, pack up everything, and move to a town I had never even visited. Since that day, I have learned of the faithfulness of God and the way He tenderly guides us one small step at a time. Had I known what adventures, pitfalls, hardships, and victories were ahead in the years to come, I probably would have felt overwhelmed by the enormity of the tasks ahead and found myself paralyzed in fear, unable to act.

Looking back at all I’ve walked through in my life, I can see how God had protected me from knowing the full scope of what He had in store before I was ready. Thankfully, God tells us not to despise small beginnings, for He rejoices to see the work begin (Zechariah 4:10). He wants us to begin the work, to simply do the one small thing before us.

Our world is often loud and our lives are often overstretched. But the Lord tells us to slow down. He tells us to quiet our hearts. He tells us to start small. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the weight of the world today, or are at the onset of a new season that feels daunting, start small and know that the Lord is rejoicing in the fact that you are trusting Him enough to begin the work.