“People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing, that's why we recommend it daily.” Zig Ziglar
Many are the plans of a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21
Discourage: “to deprive of courage or confidence” Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Discouragement is all around us. The other day I caught a glimpse of a show on TV about real estate. The realtor featured was a woman who specialized in high end residences in New York City. One of the apartments the show featured, she said, would rent for $100,000 dollars a month! I did the math quickly in my head and realized that amounted to 1.2 million dollars a year. And New York is filled with thousands of apartments like these. My immediate thought was, “who are all these people who can afford this? What in the world do they do?” Well I still don’t have the answer to that question. I suppose they could be athletes, stock brokers, VP’s, and the list could continue. But what is the difference between a person able to afford $100,000 a month on rent and the rest of us? Why is a kid who grew up in the inner city with nothing, more likely to end up earning less than a kid who grew up in a gated community provided with everything? Is it because one is smarter than the other? You couldn’t convince any kid from the inner city of that. Is it because one has more opportunities than the other? Maybe in some cases, but poor kids can usually get a free education if they try. So what is it? It’s motivation. It’s discouragement. It’s hopefulness. It’s purpose. It’s belief! It’s what we believe in that drives our achievements. If you believe that there’s no future for you anywhere but on the streets, you will probably successfully accomplish that belief. If you believe a 100k a month apartment belongs in your future. You’re much more likely to do what it takes to achieve it. But who cares whether a person lives in a small apartment or a large house? Does that really matter? Not when you die. Here’s what really matters. If you believe that God has a plan for you, you’re absolutely, positively, 100 percent, right! Everything I said earlier about socio-economic status and its affects are true. But no one can guarantee they’ll be able to reach a certain level of wealth or influence. More likely than not, we won’t get what we believe we deserve. Certainly, the things of this world will disappoint us. But living God’s purpose... I’d like to say that it will never disappoint. But it will. As long as we focus on our stats. If you’re a preacher, counting your congregation can often feel no different than a lawyer counting their money. But our stupid stats don’t mean much to God. What does it mean if you’ve only saved a single soul when that soul is worth more than all the treasures of this world? What does it mean if you’ve never preached a sermon when you live in a way that changes the lives of your co-workers? Yes, discouragement is all around us if we choose to see it. However, it becomes harder to see when we’re motivated by God’s purpose and not by our numbers.
Daily Journaling Questions:
1. How did I help someone in kindness today?
2. What did I learn today?
3. What am I thankful for?
4. Who did I love today?
5. What am I dreaming of?
6. What about today do I want to remember forever?
7. What are my goals for tomorrow?
Thanks for reading,
Jake
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Daily Self Growth Journal Pt. IV
Non-FictionThis is the fourth part of a project called the "Daily Self Growth Journal." Its purpose is to prompt readers to journal through encouragement, motivation, and inspiration. In it, the first thing I do is provide a motivational, or inspirational qu...
