Keys To Worthy, Lasting Accomplishments Though Attended By Troubles And Trials

Every Christian has a calling and God has the power, the blueprints, the helpers, the equipment and the finances to enable you to accomplish it. 

Keys To Unlocking Your Calling

1. Set worthwhile, honorable and reasonable goals:   Apostle Paul's goal was to apprehend the prize of the high calling of God ...    
"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Phil.3:13-14.

2. Cultivate a deep commitment to God and to the task He calls you to do:   The most important prerequisite to reaching your goals is to delight yourself in the LORD on the journey there.   "Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." Psm.37:4

3. Expect only little by little fractional gains:   That is how God delivered His promise of a home-land to His people Israel. As He told them in Deut.7:22 ...    "And the Lord thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once ...."   Solid accomplishment toward goals progresses in baby steps, not all at once. That was the primary lesson I tried to teach our young hikers on the Appalachian Trail. I called it "The secret of the baby step".

4. Exercise patience in your slow progress and yield to God's timing:   The Apostle Paul's missionary journey to Rome, came, as a prisoner in chains. Even then it was a slow, constantly hindered and even perilous passage. But God's purpose and Paul's maturing patience was all part of God's plan in the accomplishment of Paul's incessant prayers that he might witness of Christ to the Romans.

He took the Gospel to Rome and to Caesar's household, as a prisoner, but at Rome's expense. 

"And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy .... And entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia .... we touched at Sidon. And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary. And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia. And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein. And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone; And, hardly passing it, came unto a place which is called The fair havens ...." Acts 27:1-8.

5. Nurture your endurance through the obstacles & set-backs.   

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit-

Rest if you must, but don't you quit.Life is queer with its twists and turns,

As every one of us sometimes learns,

And many a fellow turns about

When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don't give up though the pace seems slow -

You may succeed with another blow.Often the goal is nearer than

It seems to a faint and faltering man;

Often the struggler has given up

When he might have captured the victor's cup;

And he learned too late when the night came down,

How close he was to the golden crown.Success is failure turned inside out -

The silver tint in the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It might be near when it seems afar;

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit -

It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

6. Express your thankfulness to helpers and to God. 

 The Apostle Paul had planned this trip to Rome and wrote his friends, the Christians, in that distant city of his thankfulness for them, their faith, and their financial support of him. But he gave the glory to God. His voyage there was a long and dangerous one but he arrived safely... all at the expense of Caesar.

"To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the  world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you."  Romans 1:7-10.

Paul reached his goal, accomplished God's calling ... and the world hasn't been the same since. You too have a calling. RB