Built For This Season
Don’t Despise the Story God Is Writing
Understanding Divine Success ✍️✨
As we close out another year, it’s natural to look back and take inventory—what worked, what didn’t, and what we hoped would look different by now. But what happens when your journey doesn’t match your expectations? What if the story God is writing feels smaller, slower, or quieter than what you thought success was supposed to look like?
This is where faith gets real—and where perspective matters. 👀
What Does God Consider Success? 🤔
In Zechariah 4, we meet Zerubbabel, a leader tasked with rebuilding the temple after exile. The work was slow. Resources were limited. Opposition was constant. Discouragement was everywhere.
Sound familiar?
God’s response to Zerubbabel reframes success entirely:
“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty. (Zechariah 4:6)
God wasn’t impressed by speed, size, or spectacle. He was focused on obedience, alignment, and dependence on His Spirit. 🔥
God Doesn’t Measure Size — He Measures Substance ⚖️
Our culture trains us to believe bigger is better—more followers, more visibility, more applause. Even church culture can fall into this trap.
But Scripture tells a different story:
Jesus discipled 12, not 12,000 👣
The healthiest church in Revelation was one of the smallest 🏡
Jeremiah preached for decades without mass response 📖
The early church met in living rooms, not arenas
God counts transformation, not attendance.
The world counts numbers—God counts change. 🌱
Why Do Some Churches (and Callings) Stay Small? 🧱
Not every assignment is designed for rapid growth. Some are built for depth, healing, and formation.
You can’t microwave discipleship.
You can’t fast-track healing.
You can’t mass-produce maturity. ⏳
Smaller spaces often create:
Safety for vulnerability 🤍
Room for real care
Strong relationships
Lasting transformation
Small doesn’t mean weak. It often means intentional.
When Criticism Comes, Don’t Internalize It 🛑
Questions like “How big is your church?” or “Why isn’t this growing faster?” can quietly stir insecurity.
But here’s the truth:
Size is not spiritual
Visibility is not validation
Smallness is not punishment
What feels like delay may actually be divine preparation. 🛠️
God may be:
Building resilience
Strengthening foundations
Protecting you from premature expansion
Forming leaders in hidden seasons
Specific assignment ≠ small calling.
Don’t Despise Small Beginnings 🌱
Zechariah 4:10 reminds us:
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”
God celebrates faithfulness in the process, not just the outcome.
Preparation matters:
Structure is faith 🧩
Excellence is faith ✨
Organization is faith 📋
Waiting until things are “bigger” to do things well is backwards. We prepare now for what God will do next.
Embracing God’s Upgrade 🔄🔥
God is inviting many into a new season—not just of growth, but of depth, clarity, and alignment.
This season calls for expectancy:
Expect the Spirit to move
Expect deeper healing
Expect stronger worship
Expect better structure
Expect the right people at the right time
This isn’t just a pastor’s vision—it’s a shared calling. 💪🤝
Life Application 🧠❤️
This week, ask yourself:
Am I measuring my life by faithfulness or visibility?
Where might God be preparing me through small beginnings?
What would change if I trusted God’s definition of success?
How can I show up with excellence right now—not someday?
Remember:
The same God who has sustained you is the same God calling you forward.
Your future is brighter than your past, your pain, and your doubts. 🌅
Don’t despise the story God is writing.
He’s not finished—and He’s doing more than you can see. 🙏✨
(New Living Translation Bible, 1996)
(New King James Version, 1975)