MADE FOR GREATNESS (2): WHEN THE EXCITEMENT FADES

Danielle braced up for the kitchen task. She joined in washing the plates. On her first attempt, she had a slight cut while trying to wash a knife. I was somewhere in the living room when she came to show me the cut. She said, “Daddy, I am not washing again. A knife just cut my hand.” I felt sorry but said to her, ” The pain is part of the journey. You cannot give up on learning now.” She did not like it but that was the truth. 

I remember how I would have been a better instrumentalist. We had drums, a keyboard, and a box guitar at home. We even had a trainer for drums. I gave up on each one of them once the technique got a little complicated. I did not push through. 

Many years later, I gave up learning the keyboard again. My dream was to play for Irewamiri on our wedding day. I did not succeed (smiles). 

Never let pain stop you. Pain is part of the transformation process. The executive table and chair were once a log of wood lying down in the forest. The wood that refused to go through the process because of the pain of logging, splitting, nailing, shaping, smoothening and all remained right there and ended up eaten by termites and falling apart by decaying. The value of both can never be the same. 

There is no wine without the pressing and the crushing. The pain is not to kill you. The pain is to make you. The log of wood that refused to go through the crushing may be laughing at his mates, but in a matter of months, the difference will be clear. 

There is a song that says: 

In the crushing

In the pressing

You are making new wine

In the soil

I now surrender

You are breaking new ground

You are breaking new ground

So, make me Your vessel

Make me an offering

Make me whatever

You want me to be

I came here with nothing

But all You have given me

Jesus, bring new wine out of me

The winepress is not made to destroy the grapes. In the crushing, value is added. Greatness is not for those who draw back when it gets tougher. 

I heard a story about a famous boxer. He runs laps around a field regularly. He starts counting his laps when he gets tired. For him, the work just began when the body felt like giving up. 

There is no future for the lazy. Why? They start things that they cannot finish. They run away from the process. If you ever pray for greatness, know that pain is part of the curriculum. 

*If you are lazy, you will never get what you are after, but if you work hard, you will get a fortune*

Proverbs 12:27 GNBUK

Push through! Do not let the pain stop you!

© temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa