Verse I Like:

Quick Hit:

Imagine that before your birth, you could have a conversation with the Creator.

And you would say, 'I want to be courageous,' and the creator replies, 'Then I will give you monsters that terrify you so you can conquer them.'

You then say, 'I want to be wise,' and the creator replies, 'Then I will give you many failures to show you the value of good judgment and discretion.'

You then say, 'I want to be patient,' and the creator replies, 'Then I will make you work longer and harder before you see results to teach you to wait.'

You then say, 'That sounds like a hard life. Can you give me a good life?'

The creator then replies, 'Just like we measure a blacksmith by the quality of his steel, I measure you by what you are at the end, not the hammer and fire it took to make you. A good life is one that makes you a good man, and that, my son, is a hard life.'

I first heard this parable from Alex Hormozi, and it has stuck with me ever since. We all want these traits, but we must understand what it means to acquire these traits. If we look at the lessons our hardships are trying to teach us, then we justify the suffering and use the pain as a path to progress.

This will instill a spirit of gratitude and comfort knowing that there is purpose in each of your struggles. Look for the lesson in your confrontations with difficult situations. You will begin to see the path through the struggle.

Quotes I Like:

Mane Message

We all can become impatient whilst we wait on our destiny. Ambition can quickly become a selfish, short-term desire if not put into its proper place. It needs to be paired with patience and the understanding that if you act in faith and follow both conscience and calling, the path forward will reveal itself to you in its proper time.

Most often, this path is only shown one step at a time—almost like walking through the mist. When reviewing biblical stories, we can see that there are many times when faith and patience need to be utilized for the character's sake. In each case, they were led to something greater than they could have imagined.

• God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, yet he and Sarah waited decades before Isaac was born.

• Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, wrongly imprisoned, and spent years in hardship before he saw how God was using his suffering for good.

• David was anointed king but spent years running for his life before taking the throne.

• Job lost everything and endured immense suffering before God restored him.

Each of these men had to extend his time horizon—trusting that God was still working, even when their circumstances made it seem like He was silent.

What if the delay isn't a denial, but a preparation?

• Abraham's long wait proved that God's promises are fulfilled in his time, not ours.

• Joseph's suffering positioned him to save his family when the famine came.

• David's time as an outlaw shaped him into the leader that Israel needed.

• Job's suffering deepened his understanding of God's power and authority.

Trusting in the unseen, which is 'the path forward' as far as patience is concerned, is an obligation of faith—keeping the belief that the waiting is working for the eternal good.

While in a season of waiting, take heart. Read the Word and understand the point of these stories. Waiting in the proper spirit is not wasted. 'Zoom out' and remember to have faith in the LORD with what is unseen.

The Execution Plan

1. Hold Tight to the Truth—Remind yourself of the truth of God’s faithfulness. Write down what you know to be true, and remind yourself. For perspective, you can also ask yourself, ‘Is my situation really that bad?’ Oftentimes, you may just need a reality check or a different perspective, but this has to be done in a spirit of truth. You have to actually want the answer.

2. Serve Faithfully Where You Are (Use What You Have)—The ‘perfect time’ is not a label that exists in the present. Only when looking back on the moment we took action do we label it ‘perfect.’ Ask, ‘What can I do today for maximum impact?’

3. Resist the Urge to Rush Ahead—This may seem contradictory to step #2, but lets use an analogy. Whilst in middle school learning to play basketball, you shouldn’t spend all of your time reaching out to NBA recruiters. You should learn, and perfect, the fundamentals of the game. Focus on obedience, not the outcome.

4. Stay Rooted in Worship and Gratitude—Be grateful for where you are and for the fact that you are on the path to your destiny through the struggle. Remember that at one point, where you are now is where you only hoped to be. Be humble, thankful, and upward-oriented.

5. Reframe Delays as Preparation, Not Punishment—Make sure, by all means, to ask yourself, ‘What am I being prepared for?’ This alone is a faithful act, because it recognizes that your struggle is oriented toward the future. Preparation and discomfort usually walk hand-in-hand, but one day, when you look back on your life, you wouldn’t trade these times for anything.

Weekly Ponder

• In what areas of life am I feeling impatient, and what might the lesson be?

• How can I shift my focus from frustration to faith in this season?

• What small steps of faithfulness can I take today?

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