Zechariah 4:10 tells us: "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin." God doesn't just celebrate the finished product - He celebrates the start of something good.
In Genesis, after each day of creation, God looked at His incomplete work and declared it "good." It wasn't until everything was finished that He called it "very good." If you don't learn to see the good in the unfinished product, you'll never get to experience the "very good" when it's finished.
When a baby takes their first steps, parents don't focus on the fall that follows - they celebrate the achievement of those few wobbly steps. They call family and friends to share the exciting news. Yet somewhere along our journey through life, many of us stop celebrating our own baby steps.
We often wait for total victory before allowing ourselves to celebrate, missing the joy and motivation that comes from acknowledging partial progress. This mindset can leave us feeling discouraged when we should be encouraged by how far we've come.
Zechariah 4:10 tells us: "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin." God doesn't just celebrate the finished product - He celebrates the start of something good.
In Genesis, after each day of creation, God looked at His incomplete work and declared it "good." It wasn't until everything was finished that He called it "very good." If you don't learn to see the good in the unfinished product, you'll never get to experience the "very good" when it's finished.
In Matthew 14:17-19, Jesus faced the challenge of feeding 5,000 men with only five loaves of bread and two fish. The disciples used the word "only," implying they didn't have enough. But Jesus took what little they had, gave thanks for it, and performed a miracle.
What we call "only," God calls "more than enough." Your little bit in God's hands is more powerful than a lot in the devil's hands. The key to increase and overflow is thankfulness - being grateful for what you have, even when it seems insufficient.
This week, I challenge you to celebrate your baby steps. Instead of focusing only on how far you still need to go, take time to acknowledge how far you've come. Change your perspective by replacing the word "only" with "still" when you talk about your progress.
Instead of saying "I only lost 5 pounds," say "I've still lost 5 pounds."
Instead of saying "I only saved a little money," say "I've still saved some money."
Instead of saying "I only read my Bible once this week," say "I still read my Bible this week."
Ask yourself these questions:
- What small victories have I been overlooking in my life?
- How might my attitude change if I celebrated my progress more often?
- In what areas am I waiting for perfection instead of appreciating progression?
- How can I show more gratitude for the "small loaves and fish" God has given me?
Remember, your circumstance might not be good, but because God is good, it's good. He's working in your baby steps, and He sees the good in your incomplete journey. Don't despise small beginnings - celebrate them!