Baby Steps into Giant Steps

“When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.”

Proverbs 4:12

In order to learn to take risks for the sake of the Kingdom of God we must build our faith in small steps.

That is so often contrary to what we want to do.

We read of the ‘Giants of the Faith’ in Hebrews 11.

 It tells of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses and so many others.

We are told in verse 39 that “These were all commended for their faith…”

Perhaps in considering their lives we make the mistake of thinking they started out as giants.

Did you?

Maybe someone reading this was a rather large baby at birth but you were still a baby.

You didn’t start out as a giant.

You had to learn to talk, to walk and to make your way in the world.

Baby steps precede running.

So it is spiritually.

Small steps of faith precede larger ones.

Exercising our faith increases it in the same way that our muscles grow as we use them.

I Corinthians 4:2 tell us: “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”

Have you been ‘given a trust’?

Prove yourself faithful in it.

As you do, you are entrusted with more and more.

I admire greatly the men and woman of God willing to take great risks.

In doing so, they will reap great rewards; perhaps in this life, perhaps in the life to come.

But I must always combine that admiration of their risks with yesterday’s lesson of

 ‘why not me!’

My willingness and my ability to take great steps of faith and to take great risks comes from growing in the small steps that precede the big ones.

Can you identify one thing today in which God wants you to exercise your faith?

Maybe it is calling someone and praying for them.

Maybe it is declaring a promise over your life.

Maybe it is blessing an enemy rather than cursing them.

Take that step today.

And the next step tomorrow.

And the next one the day after that...