The legendary coach Tom Landry once said, “The job of a football coach is to make men do what they don’t want to do, in order to achieve what they’ve always wanted to be.” (Perhaps that should be printed on my gym membership card!)
Great accomplishments are often achieved by tackling the simple things that we avoid because they seem too hard or unpleasant. In fact, success is often found by doing the things that other people neglect. This requires the personal discipline to respond to all of life’s challenges and demands.
The wise king Solomon offered extremely practical advice regarding our efforts:
“He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich.” Proverbs 10:4
Sure, there are days when you don’t feel like doing all that is expected of you. Rather than view all of life’s demands as a huge beast ready to swallow you up, separate them into manageable tasks. Undertaking them one-by-one will give you a taste of victory.
Spiritual discipline and success follows a similar pattern. Doing great things for God is often the result of faithful obedience in the ordinary things to which He calls us. Every day presents opportunities to think, speak, and act in a way that pleases the Lord. Remember that He is always committed to rewarding the consistent obedience of His children.
1 Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.