Since the beginning of time, man has been inconsistent. This inconsistency can be attributed to just one thing, it is the nature of man! Therefore, it is no new scenario that someone starts something but gets tired, or doesn’t even finish it. In fact, if you are being honest, this someone has been YOU at one point or the other. More shocking is the fact that it happens to the best of us although we possess different spiritual giftings. Are we saying the Holy Spirit doesn’t give us the strength to keep going? Absolutely not!
We are eternally grateful for the gift of the Holy Spirit. However, it takes more than the Holy Spirit to stay consistent. GRIT makes you stay consistent. Imagine that you have infinite funds in your account but for you to withdraw you need to show up physically at your bank regardless of the location. Of course, thank God for digitalization, haq! But, liken the infinite funds as the Holy Spirit, your journeying to the bank as grit, and your cash at hand or in your card as the result of the whole process.
Definitely, the money (in this case the Holy Spirit and all He represents including spiritual gifts) is yours but you need more (consistency), just a bit more, to have the results (promises, success, and excellence).
In Acts 14:21-22, we see the Apostle Paul doing something essential. It says, after proclaiming the Message in Derbe and establishing a strong core of disciples, they retraced their steps to Lystra, then Iconium, and then Antioch, putting grit in the lives of the disciples, urging them to stick with what they had begun to believe and not quit, making it clear to them that it wouldn’t be easy: “Anyone signing up for the kingdom of God has to go through plenty of hard times.” (MSG)
He put grit in their lives, urged them to stick, and not quit. Grit is the main ingredient for excellence. Grit is an all-encompassing combination of steadfastness, perseverance, passion, and enthusiasm. Grit is being excited about the realities you have constantly and being immovable always. As our man of God, Pastor Tomiwa, put it, “Although your identity in Christ guarantees your victory, but grit ensures the Lord says and it comes to pass. Grit makes you start and finish”.
Now, that you realize that it is more than the supernatural gifts you possess, it is time to get to work. It is time to reflect and re-strategize. James 1:4 says, “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything?” God has given us so many great and mighty promises, even in the face of challenges, he stays true to those promises. But giving up definitely robs us of achieving them. It is essential to add that, not just giving up does this, but reducing your fervor towards those promises robs us of these promises too.
The ball is now in your court, are you sticking? Or are you quitting? Are you journeying happily regardless of the situation(s) to withdraw? Or are you too tired and living off those who actually journey to the bank, and for how long? In the end, if you want to succeed and excel, your talents, beauty, intelligence is not sufficient, ADD GRIT!
Enjoy the rest of your week with this further study, Acts 14: 1-28, Proverbs 22:29
With love, TMM Publications