The One Thing

John 6:28-29, "'We want to perform God's works too. What should we do?' Jesus told them, 'This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent" (NLT).

We want to do big things for God. We want to accomplish significant and glorious things for the kingdom of God. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten an idea to do something big for God--an idea I believe He Himself has given me--and I've asked Him, "Okay, so how should I do this?"

And He'll say, "Wait."

Or He'll say, "Abide in Me."

And when He does ask me to take a step, it usually looks a lot smaller than what I was hoping for.

I believe God does this on purpose. Because nothing we "do" for God is accomplished by our own efforts. Jesus said the only "work" God wants from us is that we believe in HIM.

At first when I read John 6:28-29 I felt disappointed. I was like: "But I thought You had big plans for my life. I thought You had things You wanted me to do?" But then I realized this so-called disappointment is actually a beautiful gift.

Yes, God has a calling for my life. Yes, He has prepared good works for me to do (Ephesians 2:10). but none of those things will be done by my own strength.

God never asks us to be strong enough, or smart enough, or skilled enough. He only ever asks us to surrender our hearts and our wills fully to Him, inviting Him to work through us.

Small steps are God's classroom. They teach us to humbly depend on Him. They renew our perspective. They keep us from getting caught up with our own ego. They keep us from trying to take back control. And best of all--they take the burden off our shoulders.

We can relax. We can breathe. Because our job is not to be strong enough, smart enough, or good enough... our job is to believe that Jesus IS all those things; and to depend on Him.

Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago" (NLT).

2 Corinthians 3:5, "Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God" (NIV).