By nature, I’m an impatient person. I like to see results—and I like to see them quickly. The only reason I enjoy mowing the grass is because of the immediate impact it makes. You start with a messy yard, and in a short amount of time everything looks cleaner, straighter, and finished. I also love watching those pressure-washing videos where years of grime disappear in seconds and a dull driveway suddenly shines in the sun. There’s something deeply satisfying about work where you can clearly see the results right away.
The problem is that much of the Christian life doesn’t work that way. When January rolls around, it often brings a sense of pressure; new routines, fresh goals, and unspoken expectations about what this year should look like. We tell ourselves this is the year we’ll finally get everything in order—spiritually, physically, emotionally. But before long, life settles back into its normal rhythm, and many of us quietly feel like we’re already falling behind. I’ll be honest—I’m already three days behind on my Bible reading plan. While we wish that we can snap our fingers and grow in our faith to be a perfectly mature, sanctified believer, that just isn’t the case.
We see a different type of growth in scripture, one that values steady faithfulness over time. We see it in the lives of ordinary people who simply kept showing up and trusting Him one day at a time, doing what was in front of them, even when the results weren’t immediately visible. Their faithfulness may have looked small, but God was using it to accomplish something much bigger. Small faithfulness doesn’t usually draw attention. It looks like opening God’s Word even when you feel behind. It looks like praying with your family before bed, even if it’s short. It’s choosing patience, kindness, or forgiveness when it would be easier not to. These moments may feel ordinary or insignificant, but God uses them to shape hearts and build deep roots. Jesus reminds us that “whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much” (Luke 16:10). Faithfulness isn’t about doing everything at once or getting it all right. It’s about taking the next small step of obedience and trusting God with the outcome.
If this year hasn’t started the way you hoped, be encouraged. God is not asking for perfection or grand gestures. He delights in simple faithfulness that is offered day after day. The growth may not be immediate, but over time, those small acts of trust and obedience bear lasting fruit. As we move through these early weeks of the year, perhaps the question isn’t, “How can I change everything?” but instead, “What is one small way I can be faithful today?” Those small steps, taken consistently, are often where God does His most meaningful work.