Barbra Gentry-Pugh

Small Steps ~ Big Change

June 8, 2025

“He has made everything beautiful in its time.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV)

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

Before I retired, I coordinated psychiatric services and often found myself frustrated in navigating the maze of the mental health system. However, a memorable experience: whenever I needed assistance navigating the complexities of the system, I would call our Medical Director, Dr. Tony Kim, who was well-connected throughout the mental health community, and somehow, he had a way of eventually making things happen.

His response was always the same: “Come to my office, Barbra.” But when progress felt slow and my patience wore thin, he would gently remind me, “Baby steps, Barbra, Baby steps” It wasn’t always what I wanted to hear, especially when I was hoping for quick answers or swift action; however, it was exactly what I needed to hear and things eventually work out.

Looking back, those words have stayed with me, not just as a reminder for navigating complicated systems but also as a spiritual truth. Sometimes in life, and especially in our healing or spiritual growth, God doesn’t always give us the full solution all at once. He walks us through a process, a process of baby steps.

Over time, I began to fully understand that real change, especially the kind of change that heals hearts and minds, doesn’t usually come in leaps and bounds. It comes in steps, small ones as in our spiritual journey with Christ. The things we do in obedience, love, forgiveness, faith, our healing may seem minor in the moment, but they are the foundation for lasting, God-sized change.

BE HONEST, do you often expect quick solutions? As a nurse, working for years in critical care, it was routine to immediately fix situations, i.e., to immediately stop the pain with an injection, to correct an abnormal heart rate or rhythm with medication and/or defibrillator or machine for cardioversion, or to assist breathing with oxygen or intubation if needed. I was accustomed to quickly fixing the problem when possible. However, this journey called life, and the healing process often feel like “baby steps.”

Life has a way of teaching us lessons, and I have learned a few!

I have learned……

“Never underestimate the power of baby steps when God is directing your path.”

“Big change often begins with quiet obedience and baby steps.”

“Progress isn’t always loud, sometimes it’s just faithful steps forward.”

“God celebrates our start, no matter how small it may seem.”

“Baby steps taken in faith can lead to life-changing breakthroughs, and every small step matters when done in faith.”

I am reminded of what the Apostle Paul penned in Galatians 6:9, ”So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” (NLT)

Growth takes time! What you plant in faith today will bear fruit in due season. Stay faithful and trust the process.

When we say “yes” to God’s leading, when we forgive again, love again, serve again, we are sowing seeds. And though the soil may feel cold and our surroundings unchanged, the seed is doing its work beneath the surface.

I confess, like others, we often want to see big change fast. But God delights in the small beginnings. The first prayer you whisper through tears. The quiet decision to forgive. The habit of reading one Scripture a day. These small steps may seem minor, but they are the foundation for long-term transformation.

The Kingdom of God operates on seed principles. Jesus said the Kingdom is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all, yet it grows into a tree that gives shelter and life, as noted in Matthew 13:31-32. The NLT says it like this. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.” (NLT) What we plant in faith today can shape our future and influence others tomorrow.

Interestingly, growth doesn’t always look like progress. Sometimes it looks like a buried seed. Like silence after obedience, like doing the right thing and seeing no results. But God is a God of process, and every fruitful life begins with faithful planting, in secret, in hope, and trust.

YOUR HEART CHALLENGE: What small step of obedience can you take today that will lead to lasting change? A steady and persistent heart is one that remains anchored in trust, unmoved by delays, and faithful in the small baby steps of obedience, even when change isn’t immediate. It is a heart that walks by faith, not by sight, and chooses to trust God’s process over personal pace. Don’t wait for the perfect time to make a big move. Take a faithful step now. Heaven rejoices when you begin.

A STEADYHEART: In a world that celebrates quick fixes and instant results, a steady heart refuses to be shaken by slow progress. It stays aligned with God’s promises, even when the path is long or unclear. A steady heart walks in baby steps, patiently, persistently, and prayerfully, knowing that with God, small baby steps always lead to big change in time. In the Kingdom of God, a little obedience grows into lasting impact. Don’t underestimate the power of small acts of faith.”

PRAYER:  Father God, thank You for Your authoritative, inerrant, and inspired Word that reminds us that small steps matter. Father, help us not to grow weary or impatient in the process of growth and healing. Thank You, Father, for reminding us that our baby steps matter and not to grow weary or impatient in the process of growth and healing. Father, help us not to overlook the small steps You’re calling us to take. Help us to see each step we take in faith as progress toward the purpose You have for us. Strengthen us to keep moving forward one obedient step at a time, knowing You are rejoicing over the work You’ve begun in us, in the Precious, Powerful, and Preeminent name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.