Stop Letting “Simple” Steal your Story

You want God to move in your life, right?
You want to see transformation.
Miracles.
Clear direction, too, right?
“God, what IS my next move?”
And for some reason, we THINK it needs to be big.

Guess what? GOD wants the transformation to be “big” more than you do!
So why does it seem that changes are small more often than not?
I mean, the Bible even says that His ways are higher than our ways. We subconsciously equate “higher” with being bigger and more sensational.

But honestly that's rarely the case. Let’s explore why that is.

I am a HUGE believer in consistent and persistent prayer.

I have prayed that God would miraculously and instantaneously heal my body from EDS and its related issues ever since I got the diagnosis in 2016. So far that hasn't happened. But God has led me to supplements and protocols that help me manage EDS.

So I continue to pray the way I've always prayed since the plantar fasciitis showed up. I prayed that God would either miraculously and instantaneously heal it, or reveal to me what I need to know for it to heal naturally.

Remember, that our purpose is to “yada” (know) God and make God known to others.

So wouldn't a miraculous transformation be better at making God known to others?

Ah, but God wants you and me to know more of Him FIRST.

Last week, I talked about six spiritual lessons I've learned while dealing with plantar fasciitis and one of them was to stay humble. Another one, was healing might not look the way you think.

This whole situation has got me thinking a lot about Naaman in 2 Kings 5. He was a famous Commander of an army. Described as a mighty man of Valor. But he had leprosy, a devastating flesh disease that had no cure in biblical times.

He was told that Elisha the prophet could heal him of leprosy. Naaman was expecting the healing to come by some miraculous ritual from Elisha. But Elisha didn't even come to see him face to face. He just sent word that he should go wash himself in the Jordan river seven times.

Naaman lost it! He thought that was ridiculous. Then one of his servants gently reminded him to stay humble. Naaman thought healing was going to be spectacular. All it took was taking seven baths in a row…in a river that wasn’t near as beautiful as the rivers he had back home.

Like I said last week, I was shocked at how much healing I experienced from doing some silly glute exercises and shifting weight through my foot. It was almost too simple.

Kind of like when you've been so frustrated with your computer you want to throw it out the window but if you just shut it off and come back in a few minutes it will work just fine.

Why does God like to use “Simple” so much?

​#1 God is working on our ability to trust and OBEY

We are stubborn creatures. I don't know about you but even with the Holy Spirit working in my life, I still have stubborn moments. It’s part of the sinful human condition. Our spirit always wants to rebel. I still need to work on immediate obedience in a few areas. If God would miraculously heal me in this situation He wouldn't have been able to work on the trust and obey part of our relationship.

​#2 God is expanding our faith

Again healing doesn’t always look the way we think it should. It would take faith that seven consecutive baths in murky waters would cure a disease that in his time was incurable. Not three baths, not five. SEVEN.

Seven is the biblical number for completion, for fulfillment. You want TOTAL healing? You want real transformation? Don't skimp on being completely faithful to your assignment from God. Not six baths, SEVEN.

​#3 God is expanding our capacity for fruitfulness

I receive so many encouraging notes from you lovely people. 💙 (keep them coming! I always want to know what you need and what touches your heart!) You tell me that my story inspires you, teaches you, and encourages you to look at your life differently.

That kind of fruit probably wouldn't occur with a miraculous, spectacular healing. If that happens, I know you'll be happy for me. But like the Bible says, there are things He's prepared in advance for us to do. Encouraging you, teaching you, and spurring you on to greater things is one of my purposes, one way He's producing fruit. So I'm more than happy to keep sharing and being a light that people can look to when life feels messy or dark.

​#4 God is expanding our capacity for perseverance

Every time I think I've gotten to a new level of perseverance, God shows me that I haven't seen anything yet. He shows me that He's placed in me far more than I imagined. And that He wants me to keep uncovering layers of resilience and perseverance. Not for my sake but for His. To be an example of what happens if you never give up. To be an example of “slow and steady wins the race.”

​Why Simple Matters
The enemy wants you to think that simple is small. Simple can't make a difference.

​Simple is beautiful and powerful in the hands of the LORD!

​May I remind you how a simple lunch of loaves and fish fed a massive crowd in the hands of Jesus?

A small stone slayed a giant because of David’s faith in how big God is?

What simple thing are you not being obedient with because you think it’s too small? Or that the river is too dirty and taking seven baths is too weird, like in Naaman’s case?

Don’t let “simple” rob you of the epic story God wants to write into your life.

Let me remind you, your story isn't for you. It's for the people around you who are reading it.

Let your story have Jesus written all over it!!

What simple thing could God be waiting for you to do?

Whatever your simple act of obedience is, go do it!!

In passionate purpose,
Dorothy