Do Something. Remember You’re Valuable.
“Men are made stronger on realization that the helping hand they need is at the end of their own arm.” ~Sidney J. Phillips
“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” ~Abraham Lincoln
“Church planters that pray but refuse to take action never actually do what God has called them do to…and they wind up bitter at God because they prayed for things that God was more than willing to do if they had just acted on what they were praying for!” Perry Noble
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One of the toughest aspects of this step of life I find myself in, has been SELF-MOTIVATION. At first, I got easily frustrated and depressed at not having a job and not really knowing what to do about planting a church.
Then, one day I decided that I would wake up, take a shower, and spend most days at Regent University and other places where people were. I would talk to people, I would study church planting, I would strategize, I would pray.
I decided to work the job that I was praying for in the future. I’ve begun to set a schedule and then also listen to God and what He was telling me to do.
That Perry Noble quote has hit me square in the face. I don’t ever want to be bitter at God for the lack of faith I’ve had in taking BIG STEPS. I want to work hard, OBEY BIG, and do what I’m called to do - even when I can’t see it. That’s pretty much the epitome of faith, RIGHT?!
I’ll leave you with a story about Abraham Lincoln. After the Civil War, there was a big recession happening in the United States. Some men approached Lincoln and told him that they had tried everything to get jobs and didn’t have much hope. He asked what they did when they weren’t looking for work. One said he stayed at home. Others said they built fires in a vacant lot and spent time together. Two others said they were so depressed that they stopped looking for jobs at all.
Lincoln said, “Men, you can’t just sit around wasting your unused time. Continue to look for work, but in the time you have left, do SOMETHING. ANYTHING…Don’t forget the value you possess as a human being. You have forgotten the value with which the Almighty created you…As you DO SOMETHING - you will renew your belief in yourselves. You will remember again the value you have…others will begin to see value in you and notice the great work you are doing…people of value gain opportunities; they get help; they receive job offers. Why? BECAUSE THEY DID SOMETHING WHEN THEY DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO.”
The cool thing about President Lincoln is that he followed up with those men and heard their great stories of what happened as they saw value in themselves.
For you - if you don’t know what to do…DO SOMETHING. Work hard. Remember the value you have.
