Standing Small Before the Giants

Last week in my women’s Bible study group, our group leader challenged us to pick a picture that represented how we were currently felt. As I browsed through the pictures, there was one that struck something deep within me – a tiny pygmy mouse standing at the feet of towering elephants.  The mouse looked so small, fragile even, surrounded by creatures whose very footsteps could shake the ground. Yet there it stood – still, unflinching, facing what was before it.

That picture has stayed with me because it mirrors how I often feel when God places something big in front of me. There are seasons when His call feels larger than life, so far beyond what I believe I am capable of doing. And like that little mouse, I tremble at the feet of the unknown.

For the past six months, I’ve felt God nudging me toward starting a podcast. The idea has followed me into my quiet times, my car rides, and even my conversations with friends. It’s been one of those persistent whispers that I can’t seem to shake. Yet every time I start to move forward, fear rises up – loud and convincing. It tells me I’m not equipped enough, not confident enough, not tech-savvy enough. It reminds me of every flaw and every reason why I should wait “just a little bit longer.”

The truth is, I’m terrified. Starting something new, something public, feels vulnerable and risky. It’s one thing to write quietly; it’s another to speak words out loud for others to hear. There’s a weight that comes with putting your voice into the world –  a weight that presses on my heart with questions of worth and adequacy.

But as I sat in Bible study, staring at that image of the pygmy mouse, God spoke gently to my spirit: “You don’t have to be big. You just have to be brave.”

That small creature didn’t stand before the elephants because it suddenly grew in strength or size. It simply stood where it was meant to be. And that’s what God asks of us too – not to have everything figured out, but to take our place in obedience.

Courage, I’m learning, isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the decision to move forward despite it. The mouse doesn’t conquer the elephants, nor does it choose to run away. And maybe that’s what faith really looks like in our everyday lives: standing still when everything in us wants to flee, trusting that God’s power will steady our trembling feet.

As I burn the image of the pygmy mouse, Joshua 1:9 echoes in my hear: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” It’s one of those verses I’ve heard countless times, but lately it’s felt personal. God doesn’t ask me to be fearless, He asks me to be faithful. My courage doesn’t come from self-confidence; it comes from the assurance that He goes before me.

When I think about the podcast again, I realize that maybe the fear itself is a sign that I’m standing at the edge of something important, something that will stretch me, but also grow me. God rarely calls us to comfortable things. He calls us to kingdom things, the kind that require His strength, not ours.

So, I’m learning to take one small, trembling step at a time. I don’t need to have the whole plan figured out. I just need to do the next faithful thing – research a little, record a little, pray a lot. And in every small act of obedience, I find that fear loses a little more of its hold.

Maybe you’re standing in front of your own “elephants” right now – a new calling, a big decision, a dream that seems far too big for you. Maybe you feel as small and uncertain as that pygmy mouse. Friend, take heart. You were never meant to do this alone. The same God who called you forward will walk every step beside you.

He doesn’t expect perfection – just trust. He doesn’t need your strength – only your surrender. Because when we step forward in obedience, even with shaking hands and uncertain hearts, He meets us there with His power, His peace, and His presence.

So here’s to the mouse-sized moments of courage, the quiet yes, the shaky start, the whispered prayer that says, “I’ll go, Lord, even if I’m scared.” Those are the moments when faith takes root and fear loses its voice. And one day, when we look back, we’ll see that every small step of courage led us closer to the great story God was writing all along.

When you think about your own life right now, what “elephants” stand before you? What is something you sense God has been nudging you to start or step into, but fear has kept you from moving forward? Looking back, how might this very challenge be shaping your trust in God and preparing you for something greater? Please share in the comments.