Date: Monday, 8th July, 2024
Text: Colossians 3:23
Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan
Exhortation:
There is a price to pay in order to achieve excellence. Many things call for your attention but your ability to shun these distractions and concentrate your attention on a given task demonstrates your focus. You need to channel your energy on a given task per time to achieve excellence.
Hard work is another requirement of excellence. To be hard working is to put in a lot of effort in achieving a given task. There is an element of endurance in handwork. The Holy Scripture says, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” Colossians 3:23.
It takes more than hardwork to achieve excellence. Diligence is consistent hard work. The missing link between a hardworking person and a diligent one is self- discipline. This is the ability to delay gratification in order to reach your goal.
Consistency is needed in order to attain diligence. Don’t work hard only when you feel like working. Do so, come rain, come shine- in all weather. Sacrifice your sleep and burn the midnight oil. The word of God says, “The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor.” Proverbs 12:24.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once said, “The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night.”
It is only a matter of time and the difference between the average and excellent will be glaring for all to see. It takes diligence to achieve excellence and maintain it.
Prophetic Nugget: Receive grace to be focused and diligent in Jesus name.