DILIGENCE AND DIVINE IMPACT

A month after the church was planted, we were preparing for our first major meeting. I had one other person who worked in the office as a volunteer. We worked late into the night sorting materials. 

The next morning, I got to the office at the usual time, but the beloved volunteer was not yet in. I waited for about two hours and then placed a call to him. He still sounded sleepy. His excuse was that we had worked late the previous day. I smiled and asked him, “What if you worked in a bank, would your attitude be the same?” He showed up at work. 

I still laugh at myself when I remember such seasons and the unimaginable audacity I had. 

My favourite statement was, “The location that every visionary must be in is diligence. It does not matter where you are based, even if it is in the backside of the wilderness, diligence will introduce you to kings”. David was in the backside of the wilderness, but someone mentioned him in the palace as a skillful player. 

You cannot treat the call of God with the mindset of a volunteer, and you must not be lazy with any assignment that the Lord has given you. Some people are genuinely called but have limited the work with how diligent they are. 

You can not be a pastor who waits till 4 pm on service days to determine what you will preach. You begin to tell stories from movies. That is a shame. When others head to work, you are still sleeping. When you wake up, you just waste time strolling around with a towel on your waist and debating about national issues. That’s weird. You will remain small. Your impact will also be limited. 

Look at Jesus, our perfect example. He called his assignment on earth “my father’s business.” 

And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

Luke 2:49 NKJV

Jesus Christ referred to the urgency and diligence that the father’s business required. 

I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

John 9:4 NKJV

There was a day when Jesus was tired but still decided to go the extra mile. That day, he met the Samaritan Woman, and an entire city was eventually impacted. 

Your finest is in the extra mile. Place a demand on yourself. There is no future for the lazy person, even if he is heavily anointed. It is skill that brings success. Sharpen yourself.  Place a demand on yourself until the wine in your grapes begins to emerge. Push. 

If you are a student, make sure you study like you would not pray and also pray like you would not study. It is a combination of spirituality and skill that makes the difference. Make sure you are not a bad representative of Jesus Christ. Be diligent. Be pushful. Give your best.

© temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa.