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MEMORIZE: “He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding” (Pro.12:11).
What Next?
Giving up is no new invention but the destroying of your creative power (Mark Amadi)
Last Week, we discussed the ‘wildernesses experience’, and learnt that we all have different definition of life, which affects the way we think, do things or relate with others and God. We understood from 1Timothy 6:12 that life for the Christian involves fighting the good fight of faith, finishing the course and keeping the faith no matter the circumstance.
More so, we explained that the wilderness is a place orchestrated by God to build our inner potential, and where God develops us for our purpose. Wilderness in this context is not as the consequence of our sin, error or ignorance. We concluded by saying that the wilderness is the transformational chamber of God, where no one else’s opinion matters but God’s – a place where we walk alone to be what God wants us to be. What next after the wilderness? In view of this, today’s topic is “What Next”? What next means taking appositive steps to move forward?
Life comes in stages with different steps. We often move to the next stage after a successfully completion of the previous one. Sometimes, it takes longer to move from one stage to another. Which stage are you now? Is it really taking you a while to get to the next stage? If yes, What Next?
The next thing to do could be asking; ‘what is wrong’? Let’s examine some likely questions that when answered could lead us to what is wrong (Joshua 7):
- Who am I?
- Am I standing in God’s will?
- What is the prophecy over my life?
- What is keeping me here?
Additionally, to answer ‘what next’, we must answer the following questions honestly:
- Am I ready for a change?
- Am I ready for God’s way
- Am I ready to move no matter what it takes?
God delights in both prayer and hard work. When we decide to move to the next level, we must be ready to work very hard as we pray and confess God’s Word. Our confession and biblical practices should be translational – exhibiting God’s fruitfulness in wonders and glory (PS.63, James.2:14-26). We are not ruling out the fact that God works in mysterious ways. Moving to the next stage should not be by prayer alone, but working hard on what God has given us. What has God given you? Where is your Garden that God gave you to ‘dress and keep’? (Eph.1:3). Some of us have made mistakes by waiting amiss on God to catapult us to the next stage without doing nothing. God has already empowered us with great abilities and sound mind to get things done through the creative power embedded in us (Gen.1:26-31).
Working hard is part of God’s plan for us. In as much as God made Eden beautiful with all its supplies, He still instructed that man should get to the next stage by ‘keeping and dressing’ the garden. And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it (Gen.2:15)
‘Dressing and keeping’ simply means diligent work. Diligent work gives birth to expansion and enlargement, which God delights in (Ps.35:27). Go the extra!
God does not expect us to live like day dreamers. If we want our lives to really improve, we need to broaden the horizons of our mind-set as we pray and profess Christ. When we broaden the horizons of intellect with hard work through the grace of God, we make profit with the gifts God has deposited within us. We profit when ‘dress and keep’ our gifts and purpose. In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury (Pro.14:23).
Profit only comes when action is applied, and hard work requires careful planning of what God has given you (who am I). Hard work doesn’t only produces financial wealth, but promotions. Unquestionably, God wants us to do great things in His name, but we need to work hard and trust Him for growth (1(Cor.3:7).
As we decide to move on – diligent work, we must do this in the fear of the Lord. It is so important we practice honest living so God can bless our hard work. Our working hard should not be based on stealing, cheating, usury or other corrupt means, neither to please people. What next should be walking in integrity
Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth (Eph.4:28)
Further Study
1Cor 3 & Heb.3
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Prayer
Heavenly Father, empower me to take the next step
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