A powerful force for Success
One without the Other?
Little known and rarely understood is the invincible power to succeed that will come to those who harmoniously integrate all of God’s design for success into their dreams using all of them together synergistically. Doing this, you will enter into a paradigm shift from just getting by to succeeding.
When it comes to applying the faith of patience to your actions it could be said “You can’t have one without the other.” I believe God’s principles of success are all inclusive and not to be separated, so we must remember action is only part of God’s plan. Acting in faith followed by the force and power of patience can empower your actions to fulfillment when your actions are “according to His will.
Success doesn’t depend on who you are or who you know, or your assets; it comes solely from you, as you think, as you speak, and as you act from the ABUNDANCE OF YOUR HEART.
Where to start?
Start with prayer, it is is easy, but succeeding is an on-going endeavor of actions and patience driven by desire, faith, hope, and love; all POWERED BY PRAYER.
Dreams often seem out of reach, like huge mountains of insurmountable heights that can create hesitation or discouragement. These difficulties in themselves should not be reason enough to give up and quit. Arthur R. Ashe Jr., the first Black player selected to the United States Davis Cup team, and the only Black man ever to win the singles titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open said “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” He gave us a profound reminder of the real potential we each have within us no matter our circumstances.
While we must not deny our current situation in life, we can start where we are by taking baby steps towards our goals. One of those baby steps should include seeking out and verifying what is true of our situation. We must start with, maintain, and act in truth; the real truth. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8. I believe God put these things together for the purpose of personal empowerment. I believe these things work synergistically in empowering our actions.
Doing Within While Doing Without!
There is a little known concept of truth about starting from little or nothing that is powerful in moving us forward in our journey, to make it a successful journey.
We can learn to do with what we have, to use our existing knowledge, resources, and abilities toward our dreams. Think circumstances are holding you back, think again: There is always something one can do to get started. Mr. Ashe’s concept of Start where you are, Use what you have, Do what you can, can be said another way. “You can do within while doing without. What does that mean? Here is an example to illustrate the meaning.
I have multiple hobbies, one is in wood crafts and I am blessed with a nice shop with many tools. One day I found a plan to a nice set of book cases and I quickly thought I will build those for our home. Then as I studied the plans I found there to be a couple of issues for me. The plans called for placing a nice molding edging onto the outer frame. Without that appearance they just would not look the same. So I was discouraged and thought maybe I could not do this project.
Then I decided I would look at the tool required to do this molding. I found it. But it cost more than I could budget, issue number one. So I thought, “How long will it take for me to save enough money to buy that tool?” Then I remembered something I learned many years ago. I could practice a little known concept of doing within while doing without. That would be to study the drawings and make plans, and do what I could with what I had, to move on the project when I received the tool.
So, then, as I devised a plan to save the money I realized, issue number two, I did not have the quality lumber needed for those book cases. “Alright” I said to myself, “I will just come up with a plan to get the lumber as well as the tool. So, I continued to do within while doing without as I studied the plans for building the book cases. As I studied the plans and dreamed of where we would place them in our home, I prayed silently “God, show me how to accomplish this.”
Another Little Know Truth:
As I began this project doing within while doing without I was actually utilizing another little know truth of God’s Design for man. That is: As I proceeded to act in with faith in patience I was “calling things that were not as though they were.” Another principle of success works “according to His will.”
As I continued, thoughts began to come to me with ideas for coming up with the quality lumber for this project. Weeks before I had noticed a large Elm tree that wind had taken down months ago during a bad storm. I went into the woods and surveyed the tree. “Yes,” I thought, “I have taken lumber from our woods before, Yes, I can cut out some select small logs that I can then cut into some very nice lumber.” So with chain saw, table saw, cut off saws, and power planer, and me-power, I made some really nice quality elm lumber from that downed Elm tree.
Wow! I had decided I really wanted to build those book cases, so I started with what most would call “nothing.’ But it was, NOT NOTHING AT ALL, it was really something. My something was a dream and faith. I had a dream so decided to make my prayer for help my First Prayer and not a last resort prayer.
As I studied the plans and dreamed, seeing the finished book cases in our home, I would say silent prayers asking for help. And I added one of my favorite prayers, “I can do all thinks through Christ who strengthens me.” He gave me strengths of hope and how to ideas and faith to act, and the patience to move ahead baby step by baby step until I was successful. Prayers and actions in faith created in me, in my heart “a can do attitude.”
Over the years I have learned to make, my prayers of last resort, my FIRST PRAYERS. And I learned how to apply the POWER AND FORCE OF FAITH WITH PATIENCE to my dreams as I started this project where I was, with what I had, and I began to do what I could. I dreamed, Prayed, and acted in faith and patience. Through my faith empowered actions I had called things that “were not” as though they were. Weeks later I received my new tool purchased from money saved. Then using the lumber from the fallen Elm tree I did build a new set of book cases shown here on right and left of TV set.
Success doesn’t depend on who you are, or your assets, it comes solely as you believe, as you think, as you speak, and as you act from the ABUNDANCE OF YOUR HEART.
We must remember that Action and patience are only part of God’s plan for our success. While He designed us all to succeed, it is not automatic, but seeking it is by choice. Starting is easy, but Succeeding takes Desire, Faith, Hope, Love, Action, and Patience to Persevere, all Powered by Prayer. Follow me next time for more of God’s Design for Man.
