“Too often, we keep God in a small box on the shelf. We forget how big He is.”
As we were prepping for a recent mission trip, one of the guys I was traveling with shared this reminder with our group. We would undoubtedly encounter challenges as we traveled, from delayed flights to illness and injuries to the mental wear and tear of moving across the globe. Being on mission for God was going to test each of us in different ways, and prayer was going to be essential.
With that in mind, his words were a reminder that on those mountain paths where this trip would take us, we would be praying to a big God. We were going to have to take Him out of the comfortable little box where we’d kept Him and open ourselves up to believing in something bigger. How big?
Jesus spoke it clearly in Matthew 19:26:
“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”
That’s what it looks like to take God out of the box. Jeremiah echoes the same truth in the Old Testament:
“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” – Jeremiah 32:17
That’s how big. So big, in fact, that He can take five loaves and two fish, feed five thousand people… and still have leftovers.
“They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.” – Matthew 14:20-21
These are all reminders that we need to remember who it is we’re praying to, specifically, how powerful He is. If that’s true, why do we keep Him in such a small box? What’s driving that?
We like a God we can manage – one who stays quiet until we need Him, who fits neatly into our routines and doesn’t disrupt our plans. It’s easier to keep Him tame, like a safety net or backup plan we turn to when things fall apart. At the same time, it keeps us from being disappointed if He doesn’t answer our prayers exactly the way we want. The small box feels safe, but it actually keeps us stuck longer.
By putting God in a small box, we shrink Him down. We forget that He’s the same God who spoke the universe into existence, who commands storms and shatters chains. When we only reach for Him in crisis, we miss the daily power and presence He offers. He’s not a last resort. He’s the Source, and He was never meant to fit in a box.
So, how do we open the box?
We take God out of the small box by shifting how we trust Him daily, not just in emergencies. It starts with praying bold prayers, not just safe ones. Asking Him to move in big ways, even when the outcome feels impossible. It means surrendering control, laying down our plans, and letting Him lead, even when it feels risky. Practically, this looks like carving out real time to listen to Him in scripture and prayer, acting in faith when we feel called, and talking about Him openly in our lives, not just behind church walls. When we live like He’s big, powerful, and present, we release Him from the box we’ve built and invite Him to move freely in every part of our lives.
Let’s be clear. Taking God out of the box doesn’t mean treating Him like a vending machine, expecting Him to deliver exactly what we want, when we want it. When Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7), it wasn’t a promise of instant results or perfect alignment with our plans. It was a reminder that God hears us, loves us deeply, and has the power to respond in the way He knows is best.
Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes it’s wait. Sometimes it’s something completely unexpected. Whatever the answer, it’s always rooted in His wisdom and goodness. Trusting a big God means trusting how He answers, not just that He will.
Take the lid off the box.
Let God be as big in your life as He truly is and trust that whatever He does. It will be more than enough.
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Written by John Gamades, author of WAR: A Tactical Guide for Christian Men and Conquer: Daily Devotions for the Christian Man