By nature, humans tend to gravitate toward the path of least resistance. However, in his recent forum, Presiding evangelist Mr. Gerald Weston emphasized the importance of doing the opposite–working hard. He dove into the fruits of diligence. Contrasting how various people approach life and highlighted the most crucial element to having joy with success.
“The Two Types”
When it comes to how individuals go through life, Mr. Weston described two types: those who wait for a “lucky break” and those who plan their goals and work meticulously to achieve them. The ones who hope for a lucky break often end up moseying through their days, blaming their inevitable failure on “bad luck” or a lack of opportunity. They ultimately have a victim mindset. The second type is a self-made individual. Those who are part of it take action and labor hard. They don’t wait for opportunity–they make it.
Mr. Weston highlighted the second type, illustrating how much more success can come from learning to embody it. God commands His people, after all, “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (NKJV Ecc. 9:10). This means we ought not to approach any of our doings half-heartedly.
“With or Without a Goal”
What if we don’t know what to do with the rest of our life yet, though? Mr. Weston explained that the scenario is very common. It’s even okay if you’re still in your late teens and twenties. However, we shouldn’t be in that situation as we grow older. We may change career paths, but we should still have a solid plan in place.
Until then, Mr. Weston advised, we ought to go about everything with all our might. Whatever we are tasked with and wherever we find ourselves, we ought to take it seriously. As God tells us, “The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor” (Prov. 12:24).
“A Missing Dimension”
Hard work alone cannot bring success, though. Many famous individuals have labored and reached their goals, becoming rich. Still, their lives have turned out empty. Taylor Swift, for example, rose to both fame and fortune and is now worth billions. Yet, she has been in and out of many relationships through the years. Elvis Presley, the king of rock and roll, died at a very young age from drugs.
That is partly because there was a hole in their lives. They were missing what Matthew 6:33 instructs us to do: seek first God’s Kingdom and His righteousness. We must deliberately pursue His way, including Him in every equation of our life. If we do that, God will supply our needs.
“The Diligence of Joseph”
Mr. Weston noted that, at the end of the day, we don’t have to know our exact life plans right now. We must, however, recognize what the right goals are and approach our current situation with zeal. We must put forth effort at work, whether the job is temporary or long-term. While attending school or college, too, we should apply ourselves to our classes, doing the difficult work before having fun.
As we work hard, we should not forget our own Creator, however. We must strive to follow His righteousness, focusing most on the kingdom to come. If we do that and if we stay diligent in all we do, God will reward us. Think of Joseph, for example, who put his might into all he did despite being a slave under Potiphar. Because of his actions, he eventually rose to one of the highest positions of authority in Egypt. The Bible, indeed, declares, “Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before unknown men” (Prov. 22:29).
