For the first two weeks in July, our family traveled to Alaska to visit family and friends for some much needed time away. It wasn’t exactly restful, but it was rejuvenating! Coming back has been a lot of playing catch-up, but I’m happy to be writing again.

With all that’s going on in the world that affects all areas of society and culture, there have been many times in the past week or so that I felt overwhelmed and insignificant. My dreams, plans, or anything else at any given moment feel pointless. In essence, I have felt small.

Today as I was listening to an audiobook while running, I began to be able to put words to these feelings I hadn’t prior to this. The topic of discussion (in my own words) was that ancient peoples were constantly reminded of their smallness and it filled them with wonder, but the modern Western world rejects that in favor of “believing our own hype” and recounting our achievements of greatness.

We may struggle with passages like Psalm 8:3-4 (TPT),

Look at the splendor of your skies,
your creative genius glowing in the heavens.
When I gaze at your moon and your stars,
mounted like jewels in their settings,
I know you are the fascinating artist who fashioned it all!
But when I look up and see
such wonder and workmanship above,
I have to ask you this question:
Compared to all this cosmic glory,
why would you bother with puny, mortal man
or be infatuated with Adam’s sons?

Recognizing our smallness is an asset, not a hindrance.

We’re so geared toward independence, personal achievement, and fulfillment that we simply want God to fit into our plans all the while forgetting that it doesn’t make any sense that He pays one millisecond of attention to us. But He does… because He loves us.

Why don’t we consider more often how mind-boggling this infinite love truly is? Yet again, it was not only that He loved and loves me but “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.”

Psalm 8 goes on to express the glory, magnificence, and authority God has given man despite that smallness, marveling in that too. Yes, we are both insignificant and significant at once by God’s design and purpose. If I lean to much to either side, I lose perspective. The only way to maintain that divine perspective is to embrace my and our smallness and the greatness of His purposes.

It’s telling too that Psalm 8 ends as it begins—with a declaration of awe for God’s amazing name.

Lord, your name is so great and powerful.
People everywhere see your majesty!
What glory streams from the heavens,
filling the earth with the fame of your name!

You and I can embrace our smallness because there is no way it can diminish His greatness. When I focus on that truth, I can’t help but be filled with wonder and worship.

What do you think? Are you able to embrace smallness? Why or why not? (Share in the comments)