MORNING GLORY 23
These words are the heartbeat of a small business. Every time I read it, I feel a light lifting me up — igniting fire in my heart to press on. To keep making. To trust Jesus in the small things. Small businesses are good at delighting in little things. Every customer is a victory. Every social media like is a literal thumbs up. Those all good things, yes and amen! But we cannot rely on these acts of affirmation for our worth or source of motivation. Only the Lord can bring us through every trial and success with a sense of peace and satisfaction. He alone fills us and gives us all we need. No order amount eternally satisfies. Once we print the shipping label and send it out into the world, we’re back on the search for the next purchase. The next customer. The next direct deposit. It’s a cycle that never ends. And the desire to have a successful small business is inherently good — especially with wheels to share the Gospel. But the source of our motive matters. If everything was suddenly taken away — what would remain?
This verse from Isaiah was one of the first verses I committed to heart at a young age. Isaiah 40 has been an anchor in my life and faith — in ways still unfolding today. And I believe it speaks so much Truth into focusing on what lasts. We are constantly being pulled in different directions with a million little things vying for our attention. At the end of the day, what continues into the next day? And the next? And the next generation after? The same words in my great-grandmother’s Bible are printed in mine.
Small business owner. First year teacher. Mama. New employee. Empty nester. New wife. Anyone facing something new and feeling incredibly small — welcome. You’re here for reasons beyond what you can see today. Rest in the present and be patient with yourself. God joys in every try we make when our feet are headed towards heaven. Focus on what lasts, which might not be the easiest decision or the first thing our hands can grasp. If you’re like me — your Bible is not that far away from where you lay your head at night. I’m challenging myself and I’d love to challenge you this: grab for what lasts and hold it close. Is it hard on some days? You better believe it. But those trusted with little can be trusted with very, very much.
