Nothing takes the place of persistence
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.Talent will not;
nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the
problems of the human race.” - Calvin Coolidge. One of the biggest challenges facing people is the ability to keep on going even when the going gets tough. Many a child that came into the world with an enthusiastic shout, later died with a feeble whimper because they just
didn’t have the persistence to continue until success prevailed. Ralph
Marston confirms that long term, consistent success in any endeavor
requires persistence. “With enough persistence, anything is possible. It is
a quality that counts more than skill or knowledge or intelligence or the
right connections. The ability to persist is the ability to win.” One of the first action to creating persistence is to find a compelling reason NOT to give up. You have to be passionate about your purpose, and very clear about the reasons for establishing your goals in life. Do you want to achieve financial or spiritual freedom for your family? Or Do you
want to make a difference in your country like Nelson Mandela? For me, the knowledge that there are millions of people in interminable distress
motivates me to keep pursuing my goal of advancing the Good news of the gospel of my Lord Jesus Christ. It’s easy to keep going when you feel great and everything is happening according to plan. The truly persistent don't let personal feelings stop them from accomplishing their goals. As Nike says, “Just Do It"! Persistence can be difficult when there seems to be nothing but obstacles in your path. According to Marston, obstacles are not there to stop you, but to challenge you. “Obstacles are what make achievement worthwhile, if there were no obstacles, then achievement would be meaningless and without value.” Challenges can also develop your character and teach you valuable life
lessons.
In most endeavor, disappointments will come which can make you doubt
yourself and think of giving up. Fight the despairing thoughts by taking
action – take an honest and objective look at the problems you’re facing.
Seek the counsel of God. He can help you to change your approach and adjust your strategy to get to your result. as Marston says, “You can only win the race if you run it through to the end.”
Like what you have to do
The secret of happiness is not to do what you like to do, but to learn to like what you have to do. Many think of happiness as something that comes with lot of money or something that is discovered by constant and relentless searching. It is not found by seeking. It is not an end in itself.
Jesus once told His disciples, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” The “things” He spoke of were the things that make us feel happy and secure—food, drink, clothes, and shelter. He told us not to make these the chief goal of our lives but to “seek the kingdom” and these needs would be automatically supplied.
Colour Life
It's the word of God that brings out the beauty of life, but people would rather believe the advertisements they see or hear about than believe what the Word of God says. They would rather believe the drug peddlers who offer a cure for their illness than believe the Word of God. It really appears that people are prepared to believe everything they read about in the magazines and on the internet but not the Word of God. It is only when we believe the Word of God and act on it that it becomes a reality in our lives. It is this faith that enables us to overcome the storms we face in life and project a radiance of inner beauty.
Light & Shadow
All the masterpieces of art contain both light
& shadow. A happy life is one filled not only with sunshine, but
one which uses both light & shadow to produce beauty. The greatest
musicians, as a rule, are those who know how to bring song out
of sadness. In a rat-infested jail Paul & Silas sang their song of
praise at midnight to the accompaniment of the jailer’s whip...which led
to the heathen warden’s conviction. Our hearts must learn to sing
praise to God even when everything around us seems so dark Learn more.
The high cost is cheap
Up is down. Down is up. The high cost is cheap. The cheap cost is high. For whosoever will save his life - That is, shall wish to save his life - at the expense of his conscience, and casting aside the cross, he shall lose it - the very evil he wishes to avoid shall overtake him; and he shall lose his soul into the bargain. See then how necessary it is to renounce one's self! But whatsoever a man loses in this world, for his steady attachment to Christ and his cause, he shall have amply made up to him in the eternal world. This is the “Redemptional Wisdom" -a wisdom that calls us to surrender our lives to the will of God, live for him, and serve others. It is in giving up our lives for something and someone greater that we truly find life. There are so many things we can invest our lives in that ultimately become our masters. The harder we work to attain them, the more we find we have lost that vital essence of living that is God's gift to us. The radical example and call of Jesus is to follow him in laying down our lives to honor God and redeem others -- there
are no short-cuts. The cross casts its shadow over all of us.
are no short-cuts. The cross casts its shadow over all of us.
Dividend Through Eternity.
We are stewards of our time. God has given
each one of us a little “chunk of eternity” called time. These golden
moments of opportunity are doled out to us for our benefit and for God’s
glory. If we use them wisely, they are woven by God’s omnipotent
hand into the fabric of eternity. He who has no vision of eternity has
no hold on time. Only one life, it will soon be past; only what’s done
for Christ will last. If we invest it wisely, it will pay dividends
throughout eternity.
