By Chanel Bingham

I absolutely love going to conferences, especially small conferences. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the bigger events, but there is just something special about gathering together with a small group of believers to learn about and share God’s word. I almost always return feeling refreshed and renewed in my Christian walk.

Such was the case at the small conference I attended a while back. I was greatly looking forward to hearing from the speakers and meeting the other attendees, but even more so, I sensed that God had something very special in store.

After a time of worship, the keynote speaker was introduced. He was an older gentleman with a kind face. He had a long list of accomplishments and was very distinguished, both academically and professionally; however, he was not a verbose speaker. In spite of his accomplishments and advanced educational achievement, he embraced a simple style of speech. And it was this avoidance of lofty theoretical zeal that captivated me.

As was his style, he shared several personal stories of God’s faithfulness. Each story had a lesson of practical application and offered great encouragement. As he neared the end of the presentation, he shared a remarkable story about God’s goodness in his life. At the heart of his story, I sensed that God had a lesson for me.

Having achieved great personal and financial success, he shared that God called him into a full-time ministry position. He knew that accepting this call would require a great sacrifice. He would have to sell his home and many of the things he had accumulated as a result of his success.

After much prayer, his family sold their home and moved into a small apartment. As expected, money was tight. They were no longer able to buy the “extras” in life. In fact, even their eating habits had to change in order to survive within their greatly reduced budget.

He went on to share that one morning, while sitting in the living room with his wife and two children, he made the statement that he would love to have a steak dinner just one more time. Upon hearing this, his youngest son suggested that he ask God for a steak. Of course, he scolded the little boy and told him that he would not ask God for such a thing.

Lovingly, the man’s wife reminded him that they had taught their two boys to pray about all things, even their wants and desires. Reluctantly, the man obliged his son’s request and led his family in a brief prayer that included his desire to have a steak dinner.

Shortly after that prayer, a young boy from their church stopped by their home to deliver an unexpected package. The boy handed the bag to the man and turned to leave. When the man questioned him on the contents of the package, the young boy simply stated it was a gift from his mother. Without opening the bag, he thanked the young boy and went back inside.

He walked into the kitchen and handed the bag to his wife. As she opened it, she let out a gasp. Hurrying over to inspect the contents of the package, he pulled out not one, not two, but four, large steaks. Tears began to well up in the man’s eyes as he discovered just how great God’s love was for him.

As I listened to his story, I was reminded of how much God cares for me. In my own life, I had come to a point where I simply began to discard the small desires of my heart. I fully believed God loved me, but I almost felt shameful in bringing before the Lord desires that others may deem unimportant or trivial.

It is easy to assume that God does not care about the little things in our lives. We may even feel selfish or guilty for bringing our small desires before God. If you have ever felt this way, can I share two thoughts that might encourage you?

1.) God cares about the little things. There is nothing too small for God’s attention and care. He tells us in Luke 12:7 that, “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

If God cares about you enough to number the very hairs on your head, then you can trust that small details matter to Him.

2.) God’s love for you is steadfast. In Psalms 86:15, we are reminded of God’s great love for us: “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.”

When I read this verse, I am always encouraged by the adjective placed in front of the word love. God loves us with a STEADFAST love. Steadfast represents something that is firm and unwavering. God’s love for you is dependable, steady, loyal, faithful and constant.

By using such powerful descriptions to define His love, we can be encouraged that God cares about all the details of our lives- even the small ones.

It is my prayer that you will experience God’s great love for you in the small details of life!

Chanel Bingham is a freelance writer, blogger and public speaker. She resides in Thorsby with her husband and four children. You can visit Chanel at www.thepolishedcanvas.com or on Facebook at “The Polished Canvas.” Her column publishes each Thursday.