The Myth of Overnight Breakthroughs
We all love the idea of overnight success.
The before-and-after story.
The big reveal.
The moment where everything changes in an instant.
But here’s the secret most people don’t see:
those “sudden” moments usually take years to happen.
The promotion that seems to come out of nowhere?
It’s the result of showing up to work every day, even when no one was watching.
The friend who loses the weight and seems to glow overnight?
It’s the result of steady choices – passing on the soda, lacing up the shoes, saying yes to the small things that no one else noticed.
What looks sudden is almost always built on steady.
And in God’s hands, steady steps of faith can turn into a “suddenly” moment of breakthrough.
What “Suddenly” Really Means
When we hear the word “suddenly,”
we imagine something instant.
A door flings open.
A prayer is answered.
A life turns around in a single moment.
But most of the time,
what feels like “suddenly” has a long story behind it.
The job that seemed to come out of nowhere?
It came after years of showing up and putting in the work.
The healing that felt instant?
It came after months of quiet prayers, tears, and holding on to hope when nothing changed.
From the outside, people only see the highlight moment.
From the inside, you know it’s been a journey.
Steady steps.
Hidden faith.
Choices no one else saw.
That’s the real secret.
What God does suddenly
is almost always built on what He has been doing steadily.
He uses the daily grind.
The ordinary decisions.
The faith that feels small but keeps showing up.
And then one day, it looks like everything shifted.
But it wasn’t instant.
It was steady.
And steady is what makes suddenly possible.
Everyday Examples of Steady to Suddenly
Think about the woman who wanted to get healthy.
She didn’t change overnight.
She started with small steps.
Choosing water instead of her daily soda.
Taking a walk after dinner instead of scrolling her phone.
Day after day, those choices didn’t feel like much.
But one morning she woke up and realized her jeans fit differently.
She had more energy.
Her confidence was growing.
From the outside, people said, “Wow, you’ve changed so quickly.”
But she knew the truth.
It wasn’t quick.
It was steady.
And steady became suddenly.
Or picture the woman starting a business.
She worked quietly for years.
Designing products that didn’t sell.
Writing posts that hardly anyone read.
Staying up late after the kids went to bed, wondering if it was worth it.
Then one day, an opportunity came.
A customer shared her work.
A door opened she couldn’t have planned.
Suddenly, her business took off.
But it wasn’t really sudden.
It was steady.
And steady became suddenly.
Or think about a woman fighting for her marriage.
She kept showing up with kindness.
She kept choosing forgiveness when resentment felt easier.
She prayed when she didn’t feel like praying.
She loved in small, steady ways, even when nothing seemed to change.
Then one day, her husband softened.
A conversation turned.
Healing began.
From the outside it looked like a breakthrough came out of nowhere.
But she knew.
It was steady.
And steady became suddenly.
Why We Struggle With the Waiting
Steady doesn’t feel glamorous.
It doesn’t look impressive.
It doesn’t get celebrated.
Our world tells us faster is better.
Instant results.
Overnight success.
One click. One swipe. One moment.
So when change doesn’t happen fast,
we start to wonder if something’s wrong.
We question ourselves.
We question God.
We ask, “Does He even see me?”
Waiting feels like wasted time.
But it isn’t wasted.
It’s sacred.
The steady seasons are where God is shaping you.
Strengthening you.
Preparing you for the weight of what’s coming.
If success came too soon, you wouldn’t be ready to carry it.
If the answer came instantly, you wouldn’t have the roots to sustain it.
Waiting doesn’t mean nothing is happening.
It means God is working beneath the surface.
It means steady is building toward suddenly.
The Secret of “Suddenly”
Here’s the secret most people miss.
What God does suddenly is almost always built on what He’s been doing steadily.
The blessing you see in someone’s life didn’t come out of thin air.
It was planted in quiet obedience.
It was watered with faith when nothing seemed to grow.
It was sustained by showing up day after day.
The Bible says,
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:6).
In due time.
Not always in our time.
Not on our schedule.
But in His perfect time.
That “lifting up” can feel sudden when it happens.
But beneath every sudden blessing, there are steady layers.
Steady prayers.
Steady choices.
Steady faith.
So our part is simple.
Stay steady.
Keep showing up.
Trust that God sees the unseen.
And when the time is right, His suddenly will meet your steady.
Encouragement for the Weary
Maybe right now you feel unseen.
Like all your effort isn’t adding up.
Like you’ve been faithful, but nothing is changing.
Don’t give up.
Don’t despise the steady.
Because what feels ordinary to you is sacred to God.
Every prayer you whisper.
Every step you take.
Every act of obedience that no one else sees.
He sees it.
He honors it.
One day, what feels invisible now will look sudden to everyone else.
But you’ll know it wasn’t sudden.
It was steady.
And steady became suddenly.
So keep going.
Keep trusting.
Your “in due time” is on the way.
With love and belief in you,
