{"id":2370,"date":"2012-01-06T08:11:32","date_gmt":"2012-01-06T13:11:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/?p=2370"},"modified":"2012-01-06T08:11:32","modified_gmt":"2012-01-06T13:11:32","slug":"when-do-small-things-count","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/01\/when-do-small-things-count.html","title":{"rendered":"When do small things count?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Questions? \u00a0We all have them.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0There are important questions.\u00a0Should I have that operation?\u00a0 Should I sell my house even though it’s underwater? \u00a0Should I change jobs?\u00a0 Should I break up with my girlfriend?<\/p>\n

Little questions can be important, also. \u00a0Should I eat that last piece of pie?\u00a0 What should I have for lunch? \u00a0Should I dress to impress or can I wear something that will help me be comfortable?<\/p>\n

Paul, the apostle, was traveling pastor and is known as the first missionary. \u00a0He needed many helpers to be able accomplish the tasks the Lord had given to him. \u00a0Timothy was a young man when he became Paul\u2018s friend and then his helper. \u00a0When Timothy became a pastor in Ephesus, Paul wrote him.<\/p>\n

They became first and second Timothy in the Bible. \u00a0From those letters, we get a lot of good advice. \u00a0Paul helps to teach Timothy about how to live. \u00a0Therefore, we can learn from these letters important principles about how we should live. \u00a0They are written to a young adult. \u00a0Yet, all of us encounter many of the same problems that Timothy faced.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Paul talked about every day problems and circumstances. \u00a0He understood that it is the things we encounter each day and how we react to them which is what shapes much of our spiritual growth. \u00a0Additionally, we see that God is extremely practical about what He wants us to do–small and big.<\/p>\n

What many of us don\u2018t understand is that the big decisions are made in small ways. \u00a0We\u00a0 are offered a new position at work, perhaps a promotion which will take more time away from our families.\u00a0 Does God want us to take it? \u00a0When we realize that we are needing a new roof and the plumbing in our home has gone bad, then we may begin to think that this promotion is God’s provision. \u00a0 Perhaps my current\u00a0boss doesn\u2018t really like me. But at the new position, my supervisor will be a woman I admire and someone who enjoys my company. \u00a0This could be God’s way of helping me into a better and more fulfilling position.<\/p>\n

In short, it’s the little things that almost always direct my decision about whether I should take that job. \u00a0It is an paradox. \u00a0God usually wants us to look at the little things to make big decisions. \u00a0The Bible helps us to make decisions big and small. Watching the simple issues that make up our lives can be a valuable tool which guides us in knowing the wisdom of the God.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Questions? \u00a0We all have them. \u00a0There are important questions.\u00a0Should I have that operation?\u00a0 Should I sell my house even though it’s underwater? \u00a0Should I change jobs?\u00a0 Should I break up with my girlfriend? Little questions can be important, also. \u00a0Should I eat that last piece of pie?\u00a0 What should I have for lunch? \u00a0Should I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":387,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,20,182,40,287,186,49,147,4],"tags":[21,688,7,18,699,726,715,701,6,700],"class_list":["post-2370","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christianity","category-church","category-disability","category-faith","category-faiths","category-hope","category-inspiration","category-leadership","category-simple-truths","tag-christian","tag-christianity","tag-developmental-disabilities-2","tag-discipleship","tag-faith","tag-faiths","tag-hope","tag-inspiration","tag-simple-scriptural-truths","tag-spirituality"],"yoast_head":"\nWhen do small things count? - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/01\/when-do-small-things-count.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"When do small things count? - A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Questions? \u00a0We all have them. \u00a0There are important questions.\u00a0Should I have that operation?\u00a0 Should I sell my house even though it’s underwater? \u00a0Should I change jobs?\u00a0 Should I break up with my girlfriend? Little questions can be important, also. \u00a0Should I eat that last piece of pie?\u00a0 What should I have for lunch? \u00a0Should I…\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/01\/when-do-small-things-count.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2012-01-06T13:11:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/files\/2012\/01\/money-questions1.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda G. 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Little questions can be important, also. \u00a0Should I eat that last piece of pie?\u00a0 What should I have for lunch? \u00a0Should I…","og_url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/simplelife\/2012\/01\/when-do-small-things-count.html","og_site_name":"A Simple Life, a Childlike Faith","article_published_time":"2012-01-06T13:11:32+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/simplelife\/files\/2012\/01\/money-questions1.jpg"}],"author":"Linda G. 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