All the Little Things
by Amanda Christopher
Lately I’ve been thinking about all the little things.
Our lives are made up of years, days, moments, and things change quickly. Not always dramatically, but from one minute to the next, our circumstances can change. Sometimes the change is good, sometimes not. The not so good changes are the little things I’m talking about, though they often don’t feel little.
A call from the school nurse that your child has a fever.
Cruising along the interstate, right on time, then coming over a hill to find traffic stopped.
A nail in your tire.
The store being out of stock on the one item you came for.
A fight with your spouse or friend.
The babysitter cancelling at the last minute.
A lower grade than you expected on a project in school, or less-than-awesome feedback from a boss.
Being held up at work on the one night you made plans.
Your child struggling in school.
The copier at work jamming over and over when you really need it to just work. (I can testify to the fact that this truly is spiritual warfare!)
The internet going out in the middle of your online test…
…and all the other little things.
We will all experience tragedies. But for most of us, in the US at least, that won’t be the pervading theme of our lives. It probably isn’t personal tragedies that daily threaten to pull our hearts and eyes away from Jesus. It’s all the little things.
When those things happen and we react in anger or frustration, maybe mutter a choice word under our breath (or very loudly), when we give in to stress and worry, when we begin to feel like a failure, or even when we jump into action and try to fix things ourselves without even thinking about praying and asking God for wisdom - then all those little things can add up to a whole lot of doubt and disbelief. Without even realizing it, we are feeding ourselves lies.
We may not say it out loud, or even think it really, but our hearts are questioning. Does God really love me? Does he really see me? Does he even care about my job, my grades, my family, my car? Doesn’t God know that I have somewhere to be? Why does he let these things happen? Why me? I deserve something better than what I’m getting. Why can’t ONE THING just be easy?
It’s so natural for us to respond like that. I often don’t even think my response matters that much. If it doesn’t hurt anyone else, it’s fine. Sometimes I don’t even think of it as sinful, or as an issue of belief. I mean, when something is frustrating, of course we get frustrated! I’ve even said, “I can’t help it, I just get so _______ (fill in the blank)!” Maybe you have too. We’re only human right?
Well, yes. And no.
Believer, remember that you have the same Spirit who raised Christ from the dead and enabled him to do every good work. The Spirit enables us to do more than just respond in our sinful flesh. Prayerfully, He works in us to change our “natural” response to one that is grounded in the gospel. The Spirit brings scripture to our hearts and minds that tells us what is true.
When, by the Spirit, we preach the gospel to ourselves, when we take just a moment to remember who God is and what he’s done, everything changes.
We can be ok with delays and hold-ups, because He is in control. (Is. 46:9-10)
We can trust him with our children, because he is good and loves us. (Ps. 69:16)
We can fight discouragement and fear with the truths that he is sovereign and working for our good. (Rom. 8:28)
We can accept an unexpected change to our plans, knowing that his plan is better. (Is. 55:8-9)
We can stop panicking, pray, and trust. (Luke 11:9-10)
We can stop trying so hard and rest in the work of an all-sufficient Savior, Jesus. (Col. 1:17-20)
He has already given us all that we need through his life, death and resurrection. We can put our lives – every little detail – in his hands, because that’s where they are already.
(Oh Christian, do you believe that? He holds you in his hands - the hands that created the whole universe and everything in it. The hands that were pierced by nails on a tree for your salvation. They tenderly hold you. Like a mother holding her newborn baby. Just think about that. Is there any safer place?)
So tell yourself the truth. When all those little things come up that cause you to doubt, that pull you away from Jesus and into despair. The truths of the gospel are so much bigger and more powerful than the lies our sin tells us. Tell yourself the truth, so that when the tragedies do come, they won’t pull your eyes from Jesus, because you’ve been practicing trust in all the little things. The gospel of Jesus will not fail you.