On the tension between G♡d -sized assignments and quiet intimacy with G♡d
I have been sitting with a chapter from Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby. One phrase that stuck with me was his description of how encountering G♡d often involves “G♡d-sized assignments”- the kind of callings that stretch us beyond our own ability, and make space for G♡d to show up unmistakably.
It is an inspiring thought. It reminds me of the stories of Abraham, Moses, Gideon, or the early church – people whose obedience led to miracles and movements. There’s a clear thread in Scripture: when we step out in faith beyond our limits, we often come to know G♡d in new ways. And when things happen that we know we couldn’t have done on our own, G♡d gets the glory.
That part resonates. But I also found myself wondering:
Does this focus on “G♡d-sized” work risk turning our relationship with G♡d into something results-driven?
Here’s what I’m noticing.
The Value in What the Book Is Saying
Blackaby’s emphasis on action-oriented faith is important. Faith isn’t just something we believe privately; it’s something we trust publicly, with our lives. There’s something beautiful (and biblical) about letting our limits become the place where G♡d’s power is revealed.
When G♡d works through human weakness, He gets the glory, not us. That’s part of the mystery of obedience.
And to be clear: Blackaby is not promoting a works-based spirituality. He was quite emphatic from early on in the book that our relationship with G♡d must be rooted in love, not effort. He said “A love relationship with God is more important than any other single factor in your life.”
Those lines are easy to miss if we jump straight to the “assignment” chapters. But they are foundational. And they reshape how we understand what it means to follow G♡d into something big — or even something small.
But There’s a Real Risk Too
Even with all that said, I still find myself wrestling, not with Blackaby’s theology, but with my own tendencies.
Because I know how easy it is to slip into a posture where I chase results rather than presence. I start to assess my faithfulness based on outcomes. I start to confuse spiritual maturity with measurable fruit.
And that shift, even if subtle, can hollow things out. It can lead to:
- A constant sense of pressure to “do big things”
- Discouragement when nothing spectacular happens
- Disappointment when prayers are unanswered or not answered “soon enough”
- Neglect of the small, quiet, faithful moments like prayer, listening, stillness and obedience in smaller simpler things
It’s not what Blackaby is calling for. But it’s a way his words could be misread, and I think that’s worth naming. Not to critique him, but to guard my own heart.
So What’s the Better Way?
I’m learning (slowly) that intimacy comes first. That the healthiest kind of obedience flows from love, not just ambition. Jesus withdrew to quiet places not to get recharged for the next miracle, but simply to be with His Father.
Blackaby’s earlier chapters helped me see that more clearly. They remind me that any outward assignment G♡d gives is always meant to flow from inward relationship never replace it.
When we start from love, the boldness to follow G♡d into big (or small) things can overflow naturally. The point isn’t to do “G♡d-sized” work, it is to be in a G♡d-centred relationship, and let Him lead the way.
In Short…
- G♡d does invite us into work that is bigger than us.
- But His main invitation is always into deeper love.
- Obedience is powerful when it’s rooted in presence, not performance.
And in some ways, that’s exactly what the early chapters of Experiencing God are trying to teach. The assignments are not the goal. The relationship is.
If you’re curious to explore more: I have been reading Experiencing God Study by Henry Blackaby, and it has been one of the most shaping books I have read in this season. It is not a book about doing more for G♡d, it is about walking more closely with Him. If you are in a place where you are trying to rediscover what intimacy with G♡d can look like, it might be worth sitting with.
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