FAITHFUL IN LITTLE THINGS
The other day I walked into my garage and noticed how messy it was becoming. All my workbenches were covered with tools, old parts, items waiting for repair, and miscellaneous stuff I’m not sure what to do with. Somehow my garage has become a staging place for homeless items, or broken objects that need repair. It is also a place where projects are worked on, but once I finish a job, cleaning up and putting away all the tools becomes a lower priority. Picking up really isn’t hard, just tedious.
Sometimes I struggle with what to do with the extras, especially the new parts that I didn’t need that came in the box. Most of you know what I’m talking about. Your challenge may not be the garage but the kitchen or laundry room. I often tell myself that I will take care of it later, but if later doesn’t become the present, the chaos just gets buried beneath the next project.
In the same way, getting “behind the curve” in our spiritual lives is easy to do as well. We can be good at completing bigger projects; outreach, missions, holiday celebrations, community service projects, etc. but still miss out on the little things that are critical in our spiritual growth. Please don’t get me wrong, these other things are great, but our efforts may be in vain if we don’t make the little things a priority.
What am I talking about? I’m talking about “little things” like a daily prayer life, renewing our thought life, personal character and relationships with spouse, children, parents, siblings, etc. What about taking time to do the mundane, routine, even boring things in your life that feel like a constant drain but are part of everyday life? Have the amusements of this world or daily responsibilities or bigger burdens, robbed you of daily time with our Lord? Have you made promises but haven’t followed through? Do you spend more time on Facebook than in The Book? There will always be more distractions than time, yet we all make choices in how we spend our limited resources. These “little things” are the very life blood for accomplishing the “bigger things” so that the credit goes to the Lord and not to us.
A verse I think about every day is Matt. 6:33: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” It helps me stay focused. I start each day by connecting with our Lord and seeking His face before clearing out the inbox or preparing for the day. I know I must rely on Him throughout the day for insights, wisdom, and direction. It may seem like such a small thing but it is critical in how the day turns out. When I take time with Him and sense His presence, there is a peace and joy inside to share with those I minister to. I know I need to be in tune with the Holy Spirit, or whomever I’m ministering to will not receive all they need.
We can all focus on accomplishing great things for God, yet make poor choices in the small everyday things which are right in front of us. These little things do say a lot about our inner character. We often get frustrated, rushed, tired, bored, or discouraged when we miss out on basic Christian disciplines. It’s tempting to blame others for the complications we experience when really, we are the very problem frustrating our goals. Our greatest defense against the tyranny of the urgent is daily taking care of the little things.
Our Lord made it clear about the importance of attention to the little things when sharing with His disciples in Luke 16:10 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much”. It really is a matter of character and integrity. How are we doing? In your spiritual Our Lord made it clear about the importance of attention to the little things when sharing with His disciples in Luke 16:10 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much”. It really is a matter of character and integrity. How are we doing? In your spiritual life, are you making sure the “little things” are a high priority and getting accomplished? When I have my priorities in order, taking care of the “little” things, it is amazing to me how much gets accomplished without an enormous effort. I might even get my garage in order!
Bob Hardin
Director – NWBCC
Testimonies
· I really didn’t want to spend our [vacation] in counseling sessions. But I’m very thankful we did because it was worth every hour of it, and even the tough spots were the best areas of growth, both personally and as a couple. Everyone and anyone would benefit from it.
· Entering into counseling, I had tried and failed to self-diagnose all of my issues. I knew I needed help, but that’s all I knew. God used NWBCC to help me identify and dispel dozens of lies that I had believed since childhood, lies that left me emotionally paralyzed in relationships and spiritually crippled in my walk with Christ. Thanks be to God that we were not only able to dispel those lies but replace them with truths from God’s word about my identity in Him. At long last, I am finally free to learn about myself in spirit and in truth, without fear, bitterness, or guilt.
· These were weeks of brokenness and rebuilding. God used NWBCC and your prayers in uncovering hidden events of my life that were pulling me down. Some of them I thought I’d already dealt with thoroughly, others were new revelations… The Holy Spirit worked in great ways in my and my wife’s lives.
Prayer and Praise
· Thank you to all those who helped us keep the doors open this last month. In the first quarter of this year we experienced an unusual decline in giving that depleted all our financial reserves. Pray with us for the resources necessary so we can continue to minister to those struggling in their lives, marriages and families.
· Monthly Financial Support—50 people committed to at least $50 per month.
· Spiritual Wisdom and strength as we enter the battle zone for strong marriages and families.
· Strength and Endurance for RAMROD (see above section)
“Procrastination is opportunity’s assassin.”
Victor Kiam, Businessman