Faithful in the Little Things

Are you ever hesitant to say "yes" to one thing, not knowing if another good opportunity may present itself next week? Do you wish you could hear God's direction for your future? Me, too! But a few years ago, God called me to live in the "hear and now."(I wrote another devotion about it - click here to read it.) Here's what happened next...

I had been pretty well-behaved when it came to listening to God in the big things - the ones everyone could see. It was when God called me to obedience behind the scenes - in my home, in my car and in my attitude - that I was challenged the most.

For instance, a few weeks after my commitment to live in the "hear and now," I noticed my husband's side of the closet was disheveled. God reminded me that J.J. enjoys things being orderly, although it's not his natural inclination. I remembered how frazzled he seemed the day before. Then I heard God's voice, "One way you could really love J.J. and bring peace to his world would be to reorganize his side of the closet."

My response: "He's a grown man; he can organize his own side of the closet. I have two kids and myself to keep up with."

God's Spirit nudged me: "Did you hear me? Are you going to obey me now?"

I had recently read the parable of the talents and realized my attitude was like the third servant's. He hadn't been entrusted with as much as the other two so he buried his talent in the ground. Maybe he thought, “I wasn’t given much so why even worry about being faithful with it? I’ll just take it easy on this assignment. The master will probably never notice.”

Sometimes I saw my role as a wife and mother as "average" responsibilities - one-talent kind of assignments. Plenty of people have the same assignments, I thought. Without realizing it, I believed it wouldn't matter much if I were a little selfish, inconsiderate or impatient here and there. But God wanted my willingness in every area of my life - here and now.

Why would God require absolute obedience? Because He wants us to trust Him. He knows that when we're obedient with ordinary assignments we can be trusted with extraordinary assignments. He says when we are faithful with the little things, He'll "put us in charge of many things" and give us a deeper joy than we have ever known. (Matthew 25:21) Author Beth Moore reminds us that "the answers God gives us in our tomorrows often flow from our faithful todays."

God has been so patient as I learn to be faithful and trust Him in the big and little things. I've found that it's in my relationship with Him that I find the purpose and meaning I long for. Now my calling flows from my love for Him, not my need for fulfillment or the desire to be important in anyone's eyes but His.

By the way, I reorganized J.J.'s side of the closet. I am almost sure I heard God chuckle and felt the warmth of His smile. May He smile on you today as you commit to live in the here and now - acting on what you hear and living it out now.

Lord, when You look at the assignments You have given me, do You find me faithful? Am I living and listening the way You want me to? I confess that I sometimes fall into the trap of waiting for a better tomorrow or an easier assignment so that I can be faithful. I want to live from the heart You gave me when I accepted Your Son's life in exchange for mine. I seek to have Your heart and be Your hands in my world today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

PS. So, is there an area of your life where God is calling you to be obedient? Does He want you to submit to your husband when you'd prefer to lead the way? Is God asking you to trust Him with your finances instead of working more hours? Do you hear Him calling you to forgive someone who has hurt you, or restore a relationship that is strained? I'm praying for you to trust Him and experience His peace and joy today.