Rev. J. Loren Russell
Eccl. 11:6 NKJV
“In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that,
or whether both alike will be good.”Galatians 6:9 NKJV
“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
What is the opposite of success? Most would say failure. But that would be wrong. The opposite of success is lack of effort! The only time you fail is when you quit! What many define as failure is just another opportunity to do better the next time. What we think of as failure is really a result. It may not be your desired result, but it is a result. The question is “What do you do with the result?”
We can start working towards a goal but, when setbacks and obstacles come, we too often consider that to be the failure. That determination leads to discouragement. Discouragement creates barriers to achieving the desired result. Our tendency is to retreat to what we “know” instead of proceeding in the work that can produce the results we desire.
Many years ago, I learned as a salesman that you cannot manage results, but you can manage activities. Success lives in the activity. When you engage in active pursuit of your desire, that is your success because success is not a destination. Success is not what you get from your actions. Success is who you become as a result of your actions.
Today, we celebrate both Juneteenth and Father’s Day. Juneteenth commemorates the day the news reached the slaves in the state of Texas that they were free. We are also celebrating Father’s Day, a worldwide recognition of fatherhood and the influence of fathers in society.
The scripture from Ecclesiastes instructs us to plant seeds in the morning and the evening because we do not know which will prosper. The book of Galatians says that we should not grow weary while doing good because we will reap if we don’t quit.
The success you seek is in the seeds you plant and the efforts that you make. These scriptures indicate that it’s the activity that leads to success. The results we get are a bonus. If one seed flourishes, we win. If all the seeds flourish, we win again. Preparing for success means that you are willing to put in the work and understanding that the success is in the work!
Slaves revolted and fought until freedom came, even though the Texas slaves didn’t know they were free for over a year. Fathers are successful when they spend time and love their children. In both cases, the results may not be what was expected, or what was intended, but success is in the work and the effort. The scripture is clear, “In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good.” While your planting, remember not to “grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”
Prepare for success by putting in the work!
Be Blessed +++
Rev. J. Loren Russell is President/CEO of The JLR Company and The J. Loren R Consulting, LLC for Church Financial Strategy & Consulting, an associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx, creator & host of “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” Mondays 8:00 – 10:00 PM on Facebook LIVE and author of Matters of Faith: The Book (eBook available at Smashwords).
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