I remember when my daughter was asked in school to plant some seeds at home. She would wake up every day to check if the leaves were coming out. After checking for days with no visible change, she attempted to uproot them. I told her; “Don’t uproot the seeds. Keep on watering. It would still bring out leaves. Just give it time.” True to my counsel, after some couple of days, the leaves started coming out. She was excited.
Friend, give it time. Don’t be in a hurry. Truly, the future does not belong to the man doing it quick but to the man doing it right. Are you called into the pulpit ministry? Settle down and submit to its demands (1 Timothy 4:12-15). You would need to keep up your prayer life. You would need to live a studious life. You would need to keep on preaching and preaching and preaching. You must not be tired of counselling. You must not allow church members to discourage or dissuade you.
As a pastor or any visionary for that matter, you must not be put off by temporary failure (Micah 7:8). You must be comfortable, strong, passionate, and consistent with preaching to “Wherever two or three are gathered” congregation today if you hope to speak to multitudes tomorrow (Matthew 18:20, Luke 12:32). You must learn to use the days of little beginning to pass your tests with God and prove your loyalty to Him and His call upon your life (Zechariah 4:10).
You need to use your period of growth to develop capacity and sharpen your skills. This principle applies to business people, pastors, and every other field of endeavour. Like Joseph, the skills you would need in the palace would be developed in Potiphar’s house and in the prison (Genesis 41:9-14). You need to stay focused when you are passing through these phases while keeping your eye on the future and the vision the Lord has shown you.
Embrace the process. Give yourself to the demands of your destiny (Acts 26:19, 22). There is no vision that won’t call for demands. The more you want to fulfil vision, the more ready you must be to take up demands. What you start by excitement you must continue by commitment if you hope to finish well and strong. As fast as possible, move from excitement to commitment (Romans 12:11).
Note that before a vision will make any significant change in your life, it would transform you first. A vision that does not transform you cannot transform anything or anyone (Romans 12:1-3). Let the vision make you and let that making make the vision what God has ordained it to be. Remember, every vision has a voice. It is ordained to speak at the end if only you can stay true to it (Habakkuk 2:3). Give it time! Did you hear?
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria