Small Steps Matter in a Crisis
Small Steps Matter In a Crisis
The video of my second son taking his first steps pops up on my social media memories every year. In his typical, laid-back fashion, at a whopping fourteen months old, he had avoided walking. Our friends from church happened to be at our home, and she had her phone out video recording. Suddenly, our sweet, chubby boy stood up and began walking. He never looked back after that first step.
I remember the time when we had several toddlers walking around our house. They weren’t very good and couldn’t run without falling, but we adults had a fun time watching them try. They never gave up. Over and over they would fall, but we would help them up and they would keep trying.
Slowly, step by step, they learned to be more proficient. I remember when our sweet daughter stood up for the first time behind her walker. Because of her low muscle tone, she needed braces and a walker to help her take her first steps. After months and months of trying, she finally toddled. The moment she walked for the first time without the aid of her walker was a joyous occasion for our family. Suddenly she is running and now she is skipping and swinging like a big kid.
We do not think any less of children as they take small steps into adolescence and then adulthood. It is a slow process to move through life. Once we get to be adults, why do we stumble through life wishing to be faster and better, and to move along at a pace meant for racers? In a crisis, we definitely want to rush ahead. Our thoughts are: “Let’s get out of this!” Instead, God is showing us the path of faith is about taking small steps. For it is the smaller steps that teach how to live.
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31
One of my favorite verses is Isaiah 40:31. Do you notice the prophet Isaiah does not bemoan the fact of walking? Instead, he rejoices in the truth that God will be our strength while we walk. Walking through life can be boring; we would rather run ahead, wouldn’t we? But walking is natural. Walking is a daily act. Holiness will not happen in a moment, but it occurs over time as we take the daily, small steps.
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The small steps like caring for your aging parent or washing dishes can be a way to show love. The small steps of service, such as praying for a friend or texting a co-worker during a hard situation can lead us to making better choices. Sending a note to a missionary or encouraging a lady at your church may be your next small step to take. Going to bed earlier so you can wake up and have an extra ten minutes to pray will do you far better than scrolling through social media after turning out the lights. What is your small step? Only you and Jesus can answer that question. I can tell you this:
No step is too small when we move toward sanctification. It is not about soaring on “wings as eagles.” It is about staying faithful and walking through what is right in front of you.
As we think about our path during a crisis and how it leads to holiness, we must think in the daily. What is your best choice for today?
Sarah E. Frazer is a writer and Bible study mentor at sarahefrazer.com. She is the wife of Jason and mother of five who all serve as full-time missionaries in Honduras. Her passion is to encourage women to fall in love with the Bible. Sarah is the author of several Bible study resources for women. She share tools for deep-rooted Bible study at sarahefrazer.com. Follow her on Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/sarah_e_frazer) and join her free prayer challenge at sarahefrazer.com/prayer