Ephesians 5:15-16 So be very careful how you live, not being like those with no understanding, but live honourably with true wisdom, for we are living in evil times. Take full advantage of every day as you spend your life for his purposes. (TPT)
Today matters. We cannot parade the rest of our lives with past accomplishments. Over celebrating, thinking or bragging yesterday’s victories will bring complacency to today’s mission and tomorrow’s vision. The greatest enemy of tomorrow’s success is today’s success – Peter Drucker. We must be careful not to allow the defeats or the triumphs of the past to break us down or boost us up. Brooding over the defeats, abuses or mistreatment of the past will only demoralise, dispirit and depress us and boasting about the past success will make us puffed, phony and prideful. We must be careful and live with understanding and true wisdom. Godly, divine and true wisdom is defined in James 3:17 But the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Flaunting about the past success will accelerate today’s failure and tomorrow’s scorn. We must do a thorough heart examination everyday to surrender, submit and succumb all our credits, crescendos and coronets at the feet of the Cross and Christ to remain steady in the path of success.
Successful people make important decisions early in their life and then, they manage their decisions the rest of their life.
Three enemies to “today’s success”:
1. Popularity: The way we handle popularity drives our destiny. Anyone who fuels their enthusiasm on popularity is sure to burnout very soon. If we allow the praise of people to make us, their criticism will break us. King Saul is a typical illustration of a man who was anointed and ordained by the Lord but drew his strength from public fame. The admiration of the people elated him and their inattention deflated him. Riding on the cloud of yesterday’s popularity will result in today’s disaster. Act wisely when praise, popularity and pomp visit you; it will soon fade away. Remain focused, humble and subservient to your call every day.
2. Power: God gives us power, access and gifts to serve others. “To test a man’s character, give him power” – Abraham Lincoln. Our circle of influence will increase by the way we use it. Misuse of power, position or influence on people who are within our circle will result in demotion. We must act wisely with the authority, power and influence in our sphere of influence which will have a ripple effect to influence the world.
3. Pride: During animal sacrifice before Christ died for us on the cross, the priests were instructed to burn all the fat on the altar. This allegorically teaches us that unsurrendered praise will stink like decaying fat and become pride, if it is not burnt on the altar of praise. Leviticus 4:35 They shall remove all the fat,.. and the priest shall burn it on the altar. Pride is like fat that clogs the arteries of our spiritual heart and causes pride-attacks. Spiritual pride is fatal to our spiritual growth. Tomorrow’s success depends on today’s meekness.
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow may never come. Today is a gift from God – that’s why it’s called PRESENT. Today Matters!
Philippians 3:14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me learn from the splendour and sorrow of the past, pursue the present wisely and press on towards the promises into my bright future. Amen
Leave a Reply