Have you ever wanted to achieve something truly great and significant? Imagine being someone like David who had the courage to face Goliath. Or Daniel, who had complete faith in God, even in the lions’ den. You could also imagine becoming a person who embodies love, self-control and peace. In all of these traits that we aspire to develop, we may overlook a critical question: If I were given the opportunity to do something truly significant and impactful, would I actually be able to do it?

Imagine if there were a person in your life whose whole world would change if you encouraged them. Would you be able to do it? Imagine if your integrity were tested and you needed to stand up for what was right. Would you be able to do it? How would you know?

The prophet Jeremiah was given a great deal of responsibility in his calling. He was delivering God’s message to Judah in a time when he would only receive hate in return. Often, Jeremiah faced one trial after another due to the responsibility God gave him—each one more difficult than the last. At one point during his trials, Jeremiah became exhausted with the persecution he faced, and he asked God, “Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?” (Jeremiah 12:1).

God chose to respond in a way that did not directly answer Jeremiah’s question, but instead pointed to a truth that would lead Jeremiah to persevere and go on to accomplish even greater works for God. God asked Jeremiah, “If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses?” (Jeremiah 12:5). God was making a point to Jeremiah that there were greater responsibilities in store for him. He would need to be capable of handling smaller responsibilities if he would ever be ready for the larger ones.

Just as it is unrealistic to think that we could keep up with a running horse if we are unable to keep up with a running human, it’s also unrealistic to think that we will be able to behave properly in a situation of great importance if we haven’t first demonstrated our ability to behave appropriately in matters of little importance.

Imagine thinking that you are going to be physically fit without eating well and exercising, or attempting to play a masterpiece on an instrument without first learning to play simple songs. Without performing the smaller steps along the way, the idea of being successful in more significant tasks is simply a fantasy. Even though this may sound daunting at first, we should let this reality drive us to action and growth, as we will be called to “run with the horses” sooner or later in our own lives. The biblical heroes we read about also had to be able to run with the footmen before they could run with the horses.

David was questioned about his courage and ability to face Goliath and responded, “‘Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.’ Moreover David said, ‘The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine’” (1 Samuel 17:36-37). David didn’t suddenly have faith in God out of nowhere in his moment of greatest need. Instead, he had experiences with lesser challenges leading up to this moment in which he developed the necessary qualities—like faith—to deal with bigger challenges later on.

Similarly, Daniel did not suddenly build a relationship with God as soon as the plot was hatched against him to get him thrown into the lions’ den. The book of Daniel records, “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days,” (Daniel 6:10). Daniel had built a constant relationship with God since he was young and maintained it until the end of his life. Daniel and David were not overnight successes, and neither are we.

So, what can you do to run with the footmen now so you will be ready when the need arises to run with the horses? How do you approach such a large task? Simply put, begin doing small and consistent actions each day that relate to the goal you are trying to achieve. Start small and set a daily goal for something tangible you can do that is related to the person you want to become. Here are some examples of qualities you may want to work on developing, and daily goals to go with them:

• Be an encourager: Say one thing to another person that builds them up.
• Be biblically knowledgeable: Read and think about one chapter of the Bible on a regular basis, perhaps once a week or once a day.
• Love your neighbor: Do one small act of kindness for someone.
• Be at peace: Dedicate five minutes of your day to think on things that are true and praiseworthy.
• Have self-control: Pray for help and make an effort to resist a temptation you face for one day.

These goals and actions may seem insignificant at the moment, but they will grow into habits that define the kind of person you are. To be able to handle the significant moments that you’ll encounter in life, you’ll first need to become a person who is able to manage important matters—this is only developed through consistent practice.

So, right this moment, stop what you are doing. Get out something to write with and make one goal. Start small and have a goal each day. As time passes and you get better at it, you will notice room to add greater, more significant things to your list of goals. Slowly but surely, you will be growing into a godlier person as you strive to be like our perfect example, Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus applied this same teaching in His parables and related it to the ultimate scale of eternal life.

Jesus said, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” (Luke 16:10-11). We are given the responsibility over our physical lives now, which compared to eternal life is relatively insignificant. If we cannot properly manage our physical lives, how can God trust us to bear responsibility over a life that is so much greater?

Our personal responsibility will increase as God sees fit, and we need to make sure we grow in godly character over time. Remember as you go through your journey that God is your strength and that you are not called to succeed all on your own. Pray to God for strength and use the blessings that are given to you to help you along the way. It is impossible to live a godly life alone, but very possible to do it with God’s help, even though you will still face challenges along the way. Start small. Be consistent. And just like Jeremiah, if you learn how to run with the footmen now, you will soon be able to run with the horses.