One of the few ways to stay focused is to always have the end goal or final prize in view. If there is really nothing worthwhile to benefit from an assignment, a mission or a journey, there is every tendency that one might give up in the face of opposition and challenges. The bible recorded about Jesus Christ who, knowing the importance of his death for mankind on the cross of Calvary; endured the cross and despise the shame (Hebrews 12:2). Achieving success in life requires that we have the end-goal in mind. If the end goal is worth it, then going through the process wouldn’t be discouraging.
Most times, what God will show to you is the beautiful future but He may not show you the process from the onset on how to get to that future, so that you would not change your mind or have reasons to doubt Him. You can ask Father Abraham, Joseph, the Apostle Paul and many great bible characters that we all read about their exploits and cherish to surpass today in our life. Abraham left his kindred at the age of 75 to a place where God promised He would show him. All the information Abraham had at that moment was that there is a place, but he didn’t know where and when he would get there.
No wonder the bible recorded that he looked/waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10), because he didn’t know where. But he knew there is a city he has been promised. What about him being the father of many nations as promised him by God? This is a man whose wife is past the age of menopause, but he was still promised a child. But in all these, Abraham believed God, and kept his mind on the final prize – the promise of a brighter and better future; a better and successful life; and this kept him going in spite of the challenges he encountered along the way.
Challenges would come, but keeping your gaze on the final prize would keep you going. Joseph was destined for the throne. He saw himself as being bowed down to at a tender age by people within his own household. As simple as the dream was, the path to getting there wasn’t rosy. He was hated by his own brethren to the point that they threw him into a pit with no water, then from there sold into slavery, from there to the prison and finally to the Palace as a Prime Minister (See Genesis 37). What if Joseph had seen all he would go through before becoming the supposed King, I believe he would have told God back then to take back this future he saw from him and give him a simpler one.
The truth is, a lot of us prefer the easy way out. We want to succeed, but we don’t really like the process that will take us there. But lasting success requires that we go through the process that would take us there. This is why I am admonishing you today to not give up, go through the process and at the end of the day; you will come out fine and have your dreams come into fruition.
Apostle Paul pressed on in the face of daunting challenges and difficulties in ensuring that he fulfilled his God-given assignment. He said in Philippians 3:14(NKJV) how he pressed toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. There are three words that are striking in that particular scripture. They are: “Press, Goal, and Prize.” To ‘press’ literally from that passage simply means to keep on going, even though it isn’t convenient. And also, from the scripture, we can see that there is a goal and a prize; and therefore, he kept on going.
If there is something you must take away from this piece, it is that succeeding in life or better put, reaching your goals in life requires that you keep your gaze and focus on the prize – what you intend to achieve. The process might not be easy and rough; but having the end in view will keep you going, even in the face of daunting difficulties and challenges. I hope you have been inspired by this.
