2 Kings 5:1–15a
In our reading this week, a King called Naaman wants to be healed, but he has a particular idea of how that healing should happen. He expects the prophet Elisha to come out, perform a dramatic gesture, and make his illness disappear. Instead, Elisha sends a simple instruction: wash seven times in the Jordan River.
Naaman is offended. The solution seems too ordinary, too simple, and not at all what he expected. He nearly walks away from the very thing he needs because it doesn’t happen the way he imagined. It takes the wisdom of his servants to help him reconsider. Eventually, Naaman takes the steps he was asked to take, and his life is changed.
How often do we find ourselves doing something similar? We long for a difficult situation to change, a relationship to heal, or a new direction to become clear. We may wait for a breakthrough, a perfect opportunity, or a sign that everything is going to work out. In the meantime, we can overlook the small steps already within our reach.
Faith doesn’t always give us the whole path. Sometimes it simply invites us to take the next step.
For our spiritual practice, each day this week, take a few quiet moments to consider something in your life where you are longing for change, healing, or growth.
Ask yourself:
What is one small step I can take today?
Maybe it’s making a phone call you’ve been putting off, offering an apology, asking someone for help, spending five minutes in prayer, or simply giving yourself permission to rest.
Don’t worry about solving the whole problem. You don’t need to know exactly where the path will lead. Choose one small, realistic step and take it with intention.
As you begin, you might pray:
“God, I cannot see the whole way forward. Help me take the next faithful step.”
At the end of the day, take a moment to notice what happened. You may not see an immediate change, and that’s okay. The purpose isn’t to measure your success by how much has changed, but to practise trusting that small acts of faithfulness matter.
Let’s pray:
God of healing and hope, we often long for big answers and clear directions. Help us recognize the small steps before us. Give us courage to begin, patience when change comes slowly, and faith to keep walking when we cannot see the whole way forward. May each step draw us closer to your love and the life you invite us to live. Amen.