Have you heard of any success stories without hard work and discipline? Some students may be deceived into thinking that their classmates played technological devices throughout their academic life, and yet attained the highest honour in their studies.
Or, can we say that we will pray, and not have to work hard, and God still rains riches and glory on us?
About Eric Liddell (1902-1945). it was said: “There is perhaps no higher example of an athlete running after God and dedicating his whole life to Him than the Flying Scotsman. He 100 percent exemplifies 1 Samuel 2:30 where the Lord says, ‘Those who honor me I will honor.”
This Olympic runner is immortalized in the superb true-life movie “Chariots of Fire,” and his heart for God is legendary. And he literally ran after Him, giving up the chance to win a 1924 gold medal in his best race, the 100-meter, because it meant racing on a Sunday. He switched from his favourite event of 100m to 400m and trained very hard for months before the Olympics. For his faithfulness, he beat 2 previous record-holders and received an unexpected gold medal.
There is a quote in the film that cements Liddell’s relationship with God when he says, “I believe God made me for a purpose . . . He also made me fast. When I run I can feel His pleasure.” Who isn’t humbled by this mighty man of God?
Many of us would have heard of Joseph Schooling and his Olympic gold medal. Despite the euphoria that immediately followed, it could not erase the feeling of what it took for the Schoolings to get there. The Schoolings immediately reminisced that it took Joseph Schooling away to be trained in US from the tender age of 14 years old, for 7 years. During those years of toil, the family was more often apart than together. Indeed, they had sacrificed much to ensure that gold medal.
In the same way, to be successful as a godly Christian, we need to be disciplined to build a godly character.
Paul exhorts us in 1 Cor 9:24-27: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Therefore, I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
Discipline and hard work are critical to ensuring that we succeed in building a godly character. Is it supernatural or God-given ingenuity that gave Edison his invention? If you know that Thomas Edison once said “I haven’t failed . . . I’ve just found 10,000 ways that do not work,” you will know that it was hard work that gave Edison his many inventions, to the tune of 1,093 patents in his 84 years! This translates to perhaps a whopping 10,930,000 ways which did not work.
I remember that as a university student, I would study diligently until either the study room or library closes each day. I remember once studying my compulsory text from cover to cover. In doing so, I told myself that my hard work and discipline would pay off and I would do well for this subject. And, indeed that was one of the few A’s that I scored. That testified to the fact that success is not without hard work and sacrifice.
In the same way, to be successful in your Christian life, you have to put in the discipline and hours in studying God’s word. Be a good Christian. Set aside time as if you were preparing for your yearly or semester exams. Commit God’s word to memory. Exercise faith in obeying God’s Word and his commands.
This is the promise from Joshua 1:8: “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
By being disciplined and working hard in your Christian life, you will then be victorious in killing your bad sinful habits. Only then will you be greatly used by God for His work and glory.
May you strife to win the prize not from men but from God. The prize that thieves will not steal and that will not rust or corrupt but will last for all eternity. Press on in building your Christian life !