Personal Development: Faithfulness Before Fruitfulness, Part 1

By Josh Clark,
VP of Sales

We’ve all heard it said that being faithful to a vision, commitment or relationship leads to fruitfulness. With that said, it’s not surprising that nearly everyone who makes a commitment begins with good intentions. So why is it that we often give up on our commitments?

Good Fruit Takes Time
The challenge is that the best fruit often comes after a prolonged season of faithfulness. It’s hard to show up day in and day out and faithfully execute the 3 Daily Success Habits, when our next Director doesn’t show up, or you’re struggling just to find a Promoter. It’s hard to go for a run carrying an extra weight only to look in the mirror afterwards and see no difference except for a sweaty exhausted body. It’s hard to invest 100% in a relationship when you see little response and you’re fighting resentment at the same time.

Instant Gratification Society
We live in a society that expects and even demands instant results. In the past we lived in an agrarian society where we planted in the spring and didn’t reap until autumn. In the meantime we had to ration the food from last year’s harvest. Today when we’re hungry we have access to fast, frozen or instant foods. Getting paid every two weeks from a job is even slow by today’s standards. Now there is Uber & Facebook Marketplace where we are paid immediately for our effort. Today we write a friend and receive an instant response via text rather than snail mail. Dating apps make it simple to find instant connections instead of the old fashioned courting process.

Must Be Something Wrong With Me
Faithfulness before fruitfulness has always been challenging. Yet today, it’s even harder because we’re conditioned to think if the fruit doesn’t come immediately, something must be wrong with us. If we start a business and don’t see results quickly, we assume that we’re just not cut out for that particular business. I remember allowing myself to fall victim to this thinking for a season; but thankfully, I’ve chosen to surround myself with people who won’t allow me to stay in that mindset. Most of the time there is nothing wrong with us, we just have to stay faithful to the course, and the fruit will come in a season when we least expect it.

It Can’t Be Me
We may start out being overly critical of ourselves for our lack of success, but too often we quickly change course and blame everyone and everything around us. Of course, this is easy; since once we start looking for fault in others, we quickly find it everywhere. The blame game even feels good at least initially, because it takes the pressure and responsibility off of us. The problem with placing the blame on our spouse, our boss, the economy, the opposing political party, the government, etc. is that we’re focusing on things we can’t control.

Control The Controllables
The good news is that there is one person we have complete control over and that’s ourselves! We must decide, “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me”. We must develop a mindset and belief, that the will to win inside of us is greater than the setbacks, challenges and obstacles that lay before us. Yes, we may be facing bigger challenges than others, but the will to win in us is stronger. Remember, Zig Ziglar’s words, “You have been engineered for success, designed for accomplishment and endowed by your creator with the seeds of greatness!” Here’s the question, will you and I choose to focus on the controllables with passion and enthusiasm? When you fall down, will you choose to get back up and stay the course with grit and perseverance? Your destiny is in your hands!

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