The Glory Of The Small Step

What does God say?

So many times, I have thought to write to you again. To wish you a happy new year, to tell you about yet another peak or another valley. But again and again, I would feel the rise and the excitement at the chance to reach out, put words to paper. And again and again, those emotions would collapse inward, succumbing to fear, doubt and excuse.

I write you this letter - the first of 2024 - in a place that is different to what I had expected. It is not from a place of suddenly having got my life together, or a place where the newsletter is formatted and packaged and publicised to satisfy metrics.

No - this letter comes to you live from my bedroom. Me, congested with a cold (my latest foe), mouth-breathing, swaddled by a duvet and a blanket, with my blinds down and this song echoing through the chamber of it all.

Life, my friend, has been a challenge. But everything it has done, has brought me to this place of deep surrender to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. I’ve discovered that hard things no longer paralyse me, because hard seasons have taught me my ability to walk. So today, I write to you a simple encouragement: Never underestimate the glory and the power of taking one small step. There are all the big flashy cool things to do and be and possess in the world. But the older I get, the more affinity I have for the small victories. The routines that build discipline. And the choice to be diligent with the tiny.

For example, my current ‘small step’ is to read from this book every night. It doesn’t matter how hard the day has been, it doesn’t matter if I am too tired to read more than a few sentences. I honour the small step no matter what.

No matter what.

Showing up for myself in this way has been eye-opening. It’s shown me that I can be consistent, and I can do one thing in my control no matter what uncontrollable things are happening around me. In the most unexpected way, the small step has turned into my own mindfulness practice. Picking up that book before I fall asleep every night has become a way for me to become present, realigned and centred.

God talks about the importance of small steps often. As a high achiever who has also walked through high functioning depression, the slowness of small steps used to feel counter-intuitive to me. But God has shown me the wisdom and the why.

1. The small steps help you pace yourself while you wait for the vision He gave you to manifest.

And the LORD answered me:

“Write the vision;

make it plain on tablets,

so he may run who reads it.

For still the vision awaits its appointed time;

it hastens to the end—it will not lie.

If it seems slow, wait for it;

it will surely come; it will not delay.

Hab 2:2-4

2. The small steps teach you to persevere.

And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:4

3. Honouring the small acts of obedience prepares you for the radical acts of the future.

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

4. The small steps build your hope and trust in God.

Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,

on those who hope in his steadfast love,

that he may deliver their soul from death

and keep them alive in famine.

Our soul waits for the LORD;

he is our help and our shield.

For our heart is glad in him,

because we trust in his holy name.

Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,

even as we hope in you.

Psalm 33:20-22

5. The small steps are where you become rooted, so you may bear good fruit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22

There is not only wisdom in the small steps - there is glory. And that’s a lesson worth learning and holding tightly to our chests.

I would love to hear what small step you are adding to your daily practice at the moment and how you’re finding it. You can leave a comment below or write back to me :)

Happy stepping!

Until the next letter,

Sanaa