[This reflection by Dazz Jones was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 28/Jun/2026]
If you learn something early enough, it can take you further than you ever imagined.
One lesson I’ve had to learn is this: trust God with what you have, and He can lead you into more than you could have planned.
When I was about 15, I picked up a guitar a friend had lent me, opened something called Google, and typed: “How do I play the guitar?” And there began the painful process of “learning” – if you can call it that. This mainly consisted of waiting until my mum and dad had left the house with my sisters, then making a racket with clumsily strummed chords and a lot of off-key singing. But no one could hear me, so it felt safe. Comfortable, even.
Fast forward a few months, and not long after becoming a Christian, someone at church said, “Why don’t you try playing in the worship band?” Then came the follow-up: “Oh, he likes to sing too? Well, have a go at singing as well then”.
Oh. My. Gosh. I did not feel ready. I did not feel polished. I certainly did not feel ‘good enough’. Not for other people – and when I thought about doing it for God, I’m not sure whether that made it feel easier or harder. But I said yes.
Looking back, I can see that God was doing more than teaching me chords and lyrics. He was teaching me to offer something – whatever I had – imperfectly, faithfully, and honestly. If I had waited until I felt completely ready, I may never have started.
Now, I’m not suggesting you should all take up the guitar. That’s not really the point! But I do think many of us have places where we prefer the familiar. We like spaces where we feel comfortable, capable, and in control. We often want to feel confident and competent before we step forward and offer something in service to God.
But what I’ve learned is this: Jesus often grows us through small steps of obedience. Life isn’t all about worship bands, or even church activities. But I wonder whether many of us recognise that feeling – the nudge from God to step forward, followed almost immediately by the instinct to step back, keep quiet, or hide.
This Sunday, as we continue our Something’s in the Way series, perhaps it’s worth asking: where might God be inviting me beyond what feels familiar and safe? Not because He wants to shame us or expose our weakness, but because He may be calling us into something deeper, freer, and more fruitful than we would choose for ourselves.
Have a think about this:
☞ What step of obedience have I been waiting to feel ready for?
☞ What might I offer to God, even if it still feels imperfect?
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Last Sunday’s reflection: It’s Time For Me To Boast by Michael Goble
Contributed by Dazz Jones; © Dazz Jones