Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. (Zechariah 4:10)

One of my babies at work is learning to walk. It’s brought me so much joy to see him make his way around the playpen, holding on to the gate as he moves step by step.

Of all the times I’ve seen my babies learning to walk, crawl, or even just turn over, I’ve never gotten angry at them for not learning quickly enough. I’ve never scolded them for not taking bigger steps or moving more quickly. God doesn’t react that way with His children either; He is patient and kind. He rejoices to see us making our way slowly but surely, confidently, not in a rush, and trusting Him in the process.

But we tend to get angry at ourselves, don’t we? The problem is, we as adults get caught up in the end goal, and we forget to enjoy the process. We tend to hold ourselves to a standard we were never meant to as we become hyper focused on the future instead of the journey itself. It’s not about how quickly we reach the finish line; what’s important is that we move forward consistently and don’t become stagnant.

The sad thing is, many people will miss out on the gift of God’s Word because they see a big book with over a thousand pages of text and are too intimidated to even begin. Or maybe they will try to read too much too fast and get burnt out, never finishing what they started. There are pastors who read one verse a day! They’ll read the verse, meditate on it, research it, and pray about it. It’s not a race; what’s important is you’re spending time with the Lord in His Word consistently.

It’s not the size of the step that gets you to the finish line; it’s the consistency; it’s the will to keep going. If we make a few very long strides and then get burnt out and quit, what good does that do us?

Sometimes we must slow down and live life through the eyes of a child. My little patient wasn’t looking ahead at the long journey ahead of him around the playpen; he was simply focused on each little step. And you know what? He made it; he made it because he was present. If he had taken a step too big for his little feet, he probably would have fallen over. It takes twice as much energy to pick yourself back up after a fall than it does to simply take smaller steps.

No matter what journey you’re on today—whether it be Bible study, fitness, or even just personal growth—I hope you’re encouraged to slow down, trust the process, and be grateful for each little step you take.