Growing up I was told, “Take all things to God in prayer.”. As a child that meant anything, but somewhere along the way that “anything” turned into “only the big stuff”. You know what I mean…
The older I got, the less and less time I spent with God “praying for the little things” in life. Small things that I didn’t think had any significance in my big picture. I use to pray over a spelling tests, but then as I grew I may not pray over little quiz’s just the big semester tests or finals.
Here lately I felt God telling me, “Ask me for all things. Ask me for the little things too. Tell me what your thinking, BIG & SMALL.” It really made me think… God cares so much about me that he’s willing to listen to the “small things”. The things I over look as a conversational piece when it comes to talks with the Lord himself. So I started to try it. I’m still working on it if I’m honest. Sometimes I feel like I’m complaining, being petty, or selfish when I talk about these little things; however it says “Take all things to God in prayer”. Feeling down, pray about it. Got cut off in traffic, pray about it. Your worried about your grocery bill, pray about it. Worry about your kid going to school, pray about it. Feeling thankful and don’t know why, pray about it. These prayers can be two words or 15 minuets long- just say “Hey God thanks.” It’s not easy however getting started or doing this. Why? Why is something so small so hard to do?
In the world today the devil tells us we just need to ask God for big things. Just for insanely big items that maybe too far of a reach. Some pray for a million dollars… My friend that’s not how prayer works. We have treated God like a genie in a bottle. He grants us wishes and we smile and go on until the next one. I too am guilty. I use to do this a lot. I knew God wasn’t a genie, but in my prayer life – looking back- I was putting him in that box. The box that you only pull out in crisis. When you need him in trouble. Kinda like he was the 911 of the Christian world… only call in emergency type pray. God wants to be your best friend. He wants you to call him as much as you call your mom, or your friend, or the one you have on the top of your favorite list on your phone; God wants to be that close.
When you start to apply this to your life, it’s different. You have to take time to actually see the small things. You have to slow down your world to see God’s hand in the small details. Maybe it’s the shape of the leaves in your garden. Maybe is the penny on the ground that so Many walked passed. Maybe it’s a smile that a strange passes along when your having a bad day, or maybe you need to pass that smile along. Things that seem so small and useless really can be so big. The cool thing is, when you start looking for the small things, You start to forget About that million dollars. All your worries won’t fall away, but you can be more confident in praying over things that worry you.
Things like your bank account or bills- you know that God can help you through it. Things like, job interviews and driving in big cities- You know God will be there with you. We get so caught up in the mundane that we cannot see the forest for the trees. We cannot focus on one task. We are confused and filled with anxiety all the time, because our eyes aren’t focused on God.
We are no better than Peter. He walked on water with Jesus! He took that leap of faith and tried it and we always praise him for trying, but we over the main lesson… Peter fell. Peter took his eyes off Jesus for 2 seconds and he fell. Such a small detail in that story, which we over look. Why? Because we too aren’t looking at Jesus. Every day we are faced with the choice to step out of our boats and walk with God. Unfortunately we choose to row row row our boats gently down the stream, passing up so many opportunities to walk with God in the water and see the waters differently…
There is a song I like to listen to when I need to calm down and take a breath, or when I’m feeling overwhelmed, and it’s call “Fear Not, by: Kristene Dimarco”. In the song there’s a line that says ,
“You can’t dream too BIG for me- Stand Still and believe- I won’t let you drown.”
That part hits me hard every time. I cannot out dream God wether it be BIG or SMALL, no matter how hard it maybe to believe that it will happen, I cannot out dream God. The older I get, the more I try to be like that little girl in my soul…because of my little girl who will be on her way in a few months- I know God dreams big for us. She was a dream in the mist of sorrow I didn’t think would ever happen…but when I stand still and believe- God shows me time and time again that just like Peter, when he began to fall, He takes my hand and he doesn’t let me drown. He just lets me refocus on him.
Maybe you feel like your drowning. Maybe you are too scared to get out of the boat. Maybe you think it’s too big or small to talk to God about. I encourage you to lift up your voice to God today. Trying finding at least three small things and one big thing to thank God for today. Refocus your eyes on God and stand still and believe…
He won’t let you drown….
-Marli
*Angel Mom to Rhett Alec
*Rainbow Mom to Selah
Just Being Marli 