D.L. Moody penned these words in his Bible next to the verse Isaiah 6:8. It says, “I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do, and what I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do.”
“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. What I can do, I ought to do, and what I ought to do, by the grace of God I will do.”
Studying someone such as Queen Esther or other Biblical characters can sometimes cause us to stall rather than move forward in our lives. Why? Because these people often loom larger than life in our collective imaginations. We forget that they were human and had to make daily choices which led to their great overall impact. Some of these choices were large like Esther entering the King’s chambers unannounced. Others were seemingly small like following the Eunuch’s advice on what to bring with her when she saw the King for the first time. Large and small, choices add up to craft the entirety of a story and the power of an impact.
Yet in our contemporary culture which is largely bent on entertainment, movies and competitions on a grand scale, we can sometimes lessen the value we place on everyday obedience in the smallest of things. We want to be the hero. Save the day. Or, even, save the planet.
But reaching your destination – your destiny – on the pathway God has placed you requires a step by step process to get there. It demands faithfulness along the journey. It summons steadfastness even in those times that may seem inconsequential, or trivial. Heroes are heroes because they made wise choices, even when those choices seemed small. There was consistency in obedience.
Just as in driving, there are mile markers that tell us we are headed in the right direction on our spiritual pathway as well. These mile markers will enable us to keep going even when nothing super-incredible seems to be taking place at that particular moment. The ever-influential D.L. Moody recognized his limitations in acknowledging that he could only do what he could do. But it was this level of wisdom that enabled him to do all that he, as one man, could do. History would go on to prove that what he did was more than most.
Small choices of obedience can leave a big impact.
Never belittle the solitary steps or the long, endless drives on the pathway God has called you to. When you are faithful in little, He will cause the little things to add up as much. Small choices of obedience can leave a big impact.
