Every night when I lay my head and sleep I look forward to a better tomorrow. I am always hopeful that my tomorrow will be better than my yesterday. I am always seeking for answers to having a better tomorrow. When you deal with people as I do on a daily basis you discover that what most people want is the key to a better tomorrow. We are constantly seeking for answers to how to improve life. No one likes problems or challenges and as a result we are seeking for ways to make our experiences of life better, easier, calmer, and more enjoyable.
As I have meditated and thought upon life in general I have come to discover that there is one key to a better tomorrow; diligence is the key to a better tomorrow. Diligence is the constant and persistent effort required to accomplish what is to be undertaken. The issues we encounter in life may beat the wind out of us but diligent people understand that life has to give to them. To rule in life requires one to be principled about all their dealings. One principle that every great person in life has to have with them is the principle of diligence. Solomon in all his wisdom stated that "the hand of the diligent shall rule Proverbs 12:24a". Life may have questioned your rulership but through diligence you will rule in life. As I thought about diligence I realised that for the next stage in my life I would need to be diligent in all my dealings. As I committed to be diligent I decided to break down this word as follows.
D-Draw your plans. Diligent people have a plan that is not a figment of imagination but a game plan that is similar to an architectural drawing of a building project. Sit down and draw the plans. Habakkuk made it clear that it is only plans that are written down that move from vision to reality Habakkuk 2:2.
I-Instruction seeker. Life has many questions. It takes excellent answers to excel in life. Only those who seek instruction and follow instructions excel in responding to the questions of life. Thomas Edison attempted many times to create a light bulb not because he was bored but because each attempt though a failure to others was an instruction on how not to create a bulb. God is looking for those who will call on Him that He may show them great answers that are instructions towards solving challenges Jeremiah 33:3.
L-Led by a purpose. Diligent people are purpose driven. The battles of life seek to deter you and I from the purpose of life. It takes diligence to remain focused even in the midst of the battle. Peter encouraged the church to look forward and be diligent in looking forward in life 2 Peter 3:14.Don't look at the storm and be distracted but be diligent about your purpose in life.
I-Inspirational. Diligent people are inspired people. Look at great inventors in life and you will see that it took inspiration to get on in the journey of greatness. Abraham Lincoln was inspired by his faith in God to persist before he became president of the USA. Abraham in the bible was inspired by the promise of God in his life to wait upon God before he saw the promise of a son manifest before him. Inspiration fuels patience and rests on faith to see the promise become reality. Seek God daily for inspiration to overcome the obstacles of life.
G-Give and don't be a miser. The battles we face today are making many of us to become tighter in our finances and relationships. The best way to be a nobody in life is to be selfish driven because of the scars that life's battles cause. Once you close out on reaching out you are simply telling God goodbye as you are closing out on the channels He may use. Diligent people are constantly seeking ways to give of themselves. It requires diligence to maintain friendship in the world we live in. Solomon instructed that we should be diligent to know the state of yourProverbs 27:23. Flocks feed where they are taken. Somebody feeds from you whether you realise it or not. Diligent people value those who feed from them and are available for them. Diligent people look beyond the challenges of a relationship to give the best value to increase the person. Look at the example of Jesus at the cross who still cared for his mother's welfare and asked John to look after her John 19:25-27. In pain but still concerned for the welfare of another and not in a shell of named me, myself and I only. flocks
E-Encourage yourself. Diligence produces a consistency that enables on to steer the course irrespective of every obstacle or hurdle one encounters. Diligent people realise that you have to constantly encourage yourself in the midst of the battle. See the example of David who was diligent in loving God that when misfortune struck he did not waver but encouraged himself 1 Sam 30:1-19. learn to encourage yourself. Speak to your mind and imagination and paint a picture of greatness. To allow life to paint another picture is to allow life to be the driver of your life which is destructive and self depreciating in determining the value of who you are. The thoughts of the diligent tends towards greatness and fulfilment in life Proverbs 21:5.
N-Nurture the nature. Your environment will either help you grow or kill you. Diligence is developed in the right environment and you have the responsibility of ensuring that weeds don't grow in the garden of your life. Anyone or anything that does not push you in the right direction is taking your life. Diligence in your affairs requires one to be organised and careful of the atmosphere they maintain around them. We live in a world today where everything is fighting for your attention, consequently your mind and ultimately to control you. What you listen to influences you whether you realise it or not; what you focus on most will soon be your life and diligent people ensure that their environment is devoid of anything that can derail them from fulfilling their journey in the highway of life. If Adam and Eve had paid attention to maintaining the right environment would the conversation with devil have taken place? I don't think so.
C-Clarity. Diligent people are clear about where, why, how, and when of life. Clear people are not indecisive about life. Diligent people make clear plans. A friend recently told me how they required a young man to make clear his intentions towards her as she was not in the business of being confused. We laughed about it but was impressed that she was intent about being diligent in her pursuit of destiny and didn't want to waste time role playing. Paul put it this was in Philippians 1:21 saying that for him to live is Christ and to die is gain(paraphrased). He was intent on living out his purpose and not anything or anyone would distract him. Be clear in all your dealings and diligence will arise within you.
E-Energetic. Diligent people run through life as though they are running on a high octane jet propulsion fuel. Diligent people and tiredness don't mix. Too many people today are tired of life. The battles of life have sapped the energy in them leaving them helpless and hopeless. Diligent people are so focused that they seem to have an energy fueling them to keep continuing in the race of life. Be careful that you are not spending your energy on futile projects. Use your energy on destiny fulfilling dreams blazing a trail that is uncommon in a world today where tiredness is the norm in the morning after waking up. Diligent people have a zest for life that is only quenched by fulfilment of destiny.
I will end by urging you to be diligent in your pursuit of the Giver of Life. Being diligent about His business for your life invites Him to be diligent about your life always. No where in the bible does God forget those who are diligent in His business. Get diligent in life and watch as wealth comes your way. Proverbs 10:4 Sloth makes you poor; diligence brings wealth.
(from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
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