Little By Little

Exodus 3:8
So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.

Exodus 23:29-30
29 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field become too numerous for you.
30 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased, and you inherit the land.

After their deliverance from the Egyptians, the LORD was bringing His people into a good and large land, a land flowing with milk and honey. But it was also the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites lived.

The LORD did not drive out all the pagan inhabitants in one year because the land would become a wilderness, and the wild animals would become too many to control. But He promised to drive them out a little at a time, until the population of His people had increased enough to fill the land.

Little by little, slowly but surely, the enemies would be defeated! The whole process was gradual and careful so that the people of God would grow stronger in faith, in numbers and in strength!

Why did God not remove all the inhabitants in the land of Canaan at one go? Wasn't He the same God who had delivered the Israelites out of Egypt miraculously through signs and wonders?

Sometimes the work of God is instantaneous, but more frequently, it follows a slow and steady process. And this process is for our own good and growth. It will require patience and perseverance. The process will have lots of ups and downs along the way, like climbing mountains and trailing valleys in a journey. But we will be moving and inching nearer to the Promised Land every new day. We will be progressing and not regressing!

Each river is crossed, step by step. Each journey is travelled, mile by mile. Each mountain is removed, stone by stone. Each house is built, brick by brick. Each day is lived, second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day. Each problem is solved, bit by bit and one by one. One at a time.

Little by little, step by step, bit by bit, stone by stone, brick by brick, mile by mile, day by day, and one by one, slowly but surely, all the troubles, dangers, problems and burdens are overcome! The journey is more important than the destination! The process is more important than the goal as the people of God nurture and grow in faith and strength! The Lord is training and equipping us so that we will have an orderly growth, and reach a full maturity in Christ!

Everything created by the Lord is gradually and carefully planned. The whole creation of the universe did not happen in one day! First day, the light. Second day, the skies, clouds and oceans. Third day, the land, plants and trees. Fourth day, the sun, moon and stars. Fifth day, the fishes and birds. Sixth day, the animals, cattle and reptiles, and then mankind. Seventh day, God rested!

Everything was done in order! If the plants were created before the light, they would not be able to grow and flourish! If the animals and cattle were created before the plants, they would have nothing to eat! Like a masterpiece of art, the creation of God was painted stroke by stroke, layer by layer, and by little and little. In His perfect time, it was made and finished. Each little step may look insignificant, but each little step is important! Like putting the pieces of a gigantic jigsaw puzzle together, the whole creation was completed, a piece at a time. Each little piece is essential and important.

The power of little things cannot be ignored! A great man was once a helpless little baby. He does not become great in one day! Little by little, day by day and step by step, he becomes who he is now. Therefore, we should not despise the day of small things or beginnings!

Zechariah 4:10
New King James Version
For who has despised the day of small things?
For these seven rejoice to see
The plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.
They are the eyes of the LORD,
Which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.

The Living Bible
Do not despise this small beginning, for the eyes of the LORD rejoice to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. For these seven lamps represent the eyes of the LORD that see everywhere around the world.

Unless we are truthful in small matters, we would not be in large ones. If we cheat or take illegal shortcuts even a little, we would not be truthful with greater responsibilities.

Luke 16:10
He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

Unless we are able to solve small problems, we will not be able to handle bigger ones!

Our life is full of problems, and we must solve them one by one. Solving life problems is almost similar to solving mathematical problems. We are equipped from childhood to first learn the numbers. Then we proceed to know how to add, subtract, multiply and divide. As we grow older, we study algebra, measurements, geometry, calculus and statistics. Step by step and day by day, we acquire new skills, and are better equipped to solve the newer problems even as they get more difficult as the years go by. We become more creative as we learn more methods and formulae to tackle each problem as they come by.

However, some people never learn as they grow. They choose to stack up their problems instead of solving them. Some just sweep their problems under their carpets, and pretend that all is well. There are no problems that cannot be solved if we do not procrastinate or take prohibited shortcuts.

Through little things, men can become great! And it is also through little things that men can become insignificant. If we are not faithful in doing the little things and solving the small problems, we will not be able to handle greater things and solve the bigger problems. If we fail under pressure or hard times, our strength is small indeed.

Proverbs 24:10
If you faint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.

While solving the problems in life, our character is formed by little and little, whether good or bad. Good characters are developed or built up by little acts of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Similarly, character flaws are formed as we allow small holes or undesirable qualities to take roots in our life, little by little. They begin small but become very big as time goes by! Addictions of all sorts such as drugs, alcohol, pornography and false teachings etc. begin small but become immense and uncontrollable as the little seeds grow to become huge trees.

Song of Solomon 2:15
Catch us the foxes,
The little foxes that spoil the vines,
For our vines have tender grapes.

As it is so in the physical realm, it is the same in the spiritual realm. The old pagan inhabitants in the land of Canaan represents our old self or the old inhabitants in our hearts. God desires to remove those old habits from us, little by little. But unless we allow Him to do so, bit by bit, we will remain the same. Sometimes, we dress up and cover our deficiencies by doing spiritual acts and activities. But deep down inside, we have not changed.

Most of the recurring and habitual problems in life are due to two main reasons. We either act without thinking or we keep thinking without acting! Because of difficult life issues and problems, some people openly rebel against God. Some people secretly live a sinful life, filled with conflicts and contradictions. Some people acknowledge their faults, allowing God to help them and solve their problems, and in due time, they become complete and whole in Christ!

For those who are always waiting for God to do signs and wonders to change their lives instantaneously, all at one go, they probably do not have good foundations. Houses built on sandy grounds can be erected very quickly.

A student of the Word studies the Bible, verse by verse, chapter by chapter and book by book. Not wholesale downloading all at one go or reading! The Word of God is our Daily Bread! Daily, day by day and little by little.

Isaiah 28:10
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept,
Line upon line, line upon line,
Here a little, there a little.

Anyone, who hears the Word and is a doer of the Word, is wise, having a solid foundation and building his house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents, the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on solid ground. But anyone, who hears the Word and does not obey and do it, is foolish, building his house on sand. When the rains and floods come, and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.

Matthew 7:24-27
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”

People who are always seeking for quick results and answers are often very impatient, and highly temperamental, having no self control. Their moods change easily without any good reason or rationale. They probably have a few mountains of problems piled up and yet to be solved, some dating back even to their childhood days.

In life, there will be trials, tests, temptations, troubles and tribulations along the way. The Lord promises to help us to solve them, little by little. Will we allow Him to do so?

John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

Will we be patient as we overcome them, one by one? Will we persevere even as the times get tougher? Will we have faith in God, and pray even in seasons of great fear, moving mountains, even sometimes slowly at the rate of one stone at a time? Will we grow stronger in faith?

In due time, we will overcome if we faint not.

Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Written on: 19 July 2020