THE COST OF RUNNING WITHOUT TRAINING

For many years as a pastor, I was doing all I could. But one day, a dear father in the faith counselled me: “Pastor Temi, we pastor in similar terrains. One of the factors in both terrains is that people transition very fast. Let me tell you the mistake I made for the first sixteen years of ministry”. 

At another time, my grandfather in the faith saw that I was not comfortable with the challenge of men coming and going; he gave me insight prophetically into my season and what the Lord was doing. That was the game changer for us. 

Beloved, you will lose many things if you keep running without training. You will be a waster of resources. I know people who have started so many things that did not thrive. By the time they come up with another fresh idea or put money into a new enterprise or vision, we just wait for the time when it will stop running, and they move on to something else. You know someone like that also. Isn’t it? I hope you are not the one. 

When a man is gifted and untrained, like the lost son, he will squander whatever he has been given: 

“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

Luke 15:13 NIV

An untrained person will waste time. They are not even sensitive when the other party gives one-word answers as proof that he is uninterested. 

An untrained person will waste money. They think money will do it all. They soon realize a fool and his money are soon parted. 

An untrained person will waste men. They cannot sustain solid relationships. You will always see them with new people around them. No stable relationships. 

What other things can an untrained person waste?

An untrained person will waste opportunities. They can shout at an opportunity, but they lose it very fast also. 

An untrained person will waste talents or gifts. They think that since it comes easy, there is no need for intense preparation. They remain small and average. 

An untrained person will waste the present and the future. They cannot build a bridge between the two. They lack the discipline required. 

An untrained person will waste lessons even if they learn a lesson today; they forget very soon. Purpose is sacrificed on the altar of pleasure. 

An untrained person will waste himself. Yes! Unfortunately so. The graveyard is full of untapped or waste potentials. 

What are you squandering now?

temilOluwa Ola, Eruwa