Small Steps Lead to Victory by Kristin Sponaugle

by Rachael Adams | Oct 31, 2024 | The Love Offering Guest Blog Series

I am not a craft-skilled person despite many attempts to become one. I love having artistic skills—sewing, calligraphy, knitting, crocheting, etc.—but every time I try, I quickly become frustrated with how slow I am initially. When trying to crochet a scarf, I make more knots than progress. Once, during a sewing attempt, I somehow got the entire shirt jammed underneath the needle, effectively sewing the shirt into a ball. I see defeat in my mind’s eye, so I think, why did I even start? I give up before I even try and remain without a craft to call my own.

The same defeated mentality can happen when we try to untangle the lies in our heads. We repeatedly battle the same negative, all-consuming thoughts, wondering if we will ever be victorious. We see a mountain of tightly tangled thoughts before us, and we have no idea where to begin. Why even start? The task is too large and difficult, and we need more effort to throw in the towel.

We find the Israelites were in a similar situation in the book of Zechariah. Having finally returned from exile, they faced an impossible task: rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem. The Temple was in ruins, and Zerubbabel, the governor of Judea, was tasked to lead its rebuilding (Zechariah 4:9). I cannot imagine how he and the Israelites felt staring at a pile of rubble, knowing they would be laying each stone by hand. They probably had no idea where even to begin sifting through the destruction. I’m sure they wondered more than once, why even start?

It can be easy to give up in the face of an overwhelming mess, be it in crafts, the lies within our mind, or physically rebuilding the destroyed Temple. But the Lord reminds us in Zechariah that the start of our efforts brings Him joy. “Do not despise small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” (Zechariah 4:10 NLT, emphasis mine).

The Lord rejoices over each small step we take towards untangling the lies within our minds. He sees the pure intention of our hearts and cheers for us to press on, knowing victory lies ahead if only we keep putting one foot in front of the other. Small progress over time will eventually add up to winning the battle. We just need to start.

After years of persistently laying bricks, the Israelites finally rebuilt the Temple. With patience and a YouTube tutorial, I taught myself to cross-stitch and proudly say I found my craft. You, too, can conquer what you face and untangle the negative thoughts that consume your mind. Brick by brick, stitch by stitch, and refuting each negative thought with God’s Truth will add up. We just need to lay the first brick, make the first stitch, and take the first step to declare I will rejoice with the Lord that I am beginning my journey to victory.

About the Author:

Kristin Sponaugle is an ordinary wife and mama passionate about pursuing the Lord within the little moments of life and motherhood. She practiced as a physician assistant for about nine years before the Lord called her to lay down her stethoscope and pick up a pen. She writes in the margins of military life and motherhood, often writing on scraps of paper while chasing her toddler and caring for her newborn. You can read her scribbled thoughts on www.kristinsponauglewrites.com and Instagram. She enjoys hiking with her family, reading, and cross-stitching. She resides wherever the Air Force sends her family, which is currently in the High Plains of New Mexico.