On July 2, 1932, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, a baby boy was born. Six weeks later, a couple adopted the infant, but when he was five years old, his mother died. His father moved from state to state, looking for work and taking his young son with him. At age twelve, the boy landed his first job at a restaurant counter-and loved it. When he was fifteen, his father wanted to move again, but by then the young man was working at the Hobby House Restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and didn’t want to leave his job. So he dropped out of school, moved into the local YMCA, and went to work full-time. Several years later, his Hobby House boss offered him an opportunity. The man owned four Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) outlets that were failing. In four years, with hard work and determination, the young man turned the restaurants around financially, sold them back to KFC, and received a portion of the profits from the sale-he was once a high school dropout, but now he was a millionaire at age thirty-five.
Who was this man? Dave Thomas, who started Wendy’s old fashioned Hamburgers and became an innovative and respected leader in the fast-food business. And, by the way, he also earned his GED fortyfive years after he dropped out of school. The world is filled with people like Dave Thomas, people who have overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. They have faced tragedies, sickness and disease, accidents, poverty, and deprivation in every area and yet they have pressed through and become some of the world’s most respected and admired individuals. I can assure you that they did not do so by thinking, I can’t. They had to make a decision about what they wanted out of life and think accordingly. Then, they had to work hard to accomplish their goals. I don’t believe any of them could have expended the effort they needed to or made the sacrifices they made had they not believed wholeheartedly that they could do what they wanted to do.
A lot of people start out in the right direction, with great “want to,” but no ability to push through when challenges arise. We hear and read about the ones who start out and keep going to achieve amazing results, especially in the face of tremendous odds. But even in the everyday, ordinary aspects of life, we all have obstacles to overcome. It’s easy to see how much working out at the gym has improved your friend’s energy and body shape and then decide, “I’m going to do that.” But when it is time to go, will you do it? When you get so sore that you have to fall in a chair to sit down and pray that you can get up will you keep going? When something that sounds like more fun comes along, will you keep going? There will be plenty of opportunity to think, I just can’t do this. It’s too hard. But, if the thought I can do whatever I need to do in life is ingrained in you, then it gives you the determination to press through the difficulties. God does not want us to be afraid or discouraged in the face of difficulties. In 2 Timothy 1:7, Paul wrote to his young associate Timothy that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but that He has given us power, love, and a sound mind. Timothy faced many challenges in the huge tasks in front of him and, no doubt, had days like you and I do-days when he was overwhelmed, days he thought he could not take any more pressure. He had fearful thoughts, he worried, and in my opinion, his stomach problem that Paul mentioned may have been an ulcer due to stress. The young man was overwhelmed! In the midst of such pressure, Paul encouraged him, writing to him to keep his mind filled with peace, balance, discipline, and self-control (see 2 Timothy 1:7). Paul knew Timothy needed to think properly if he was to accomplish God’s will.
It is impossible to think “power-draining” thoughts and then be powerful when situations arise that call for extra strength. I want to encourage you to think and say at the beginning of each day, “I can do whatever I need to do in life through Christ.” Don’t fear the day, but instead look forward to it with passion, zeal, and enthusiasm.
Think about It
How can you push through and overcome a particular obstacle in your life? Throw Away
Make It Personal
During my days as a teacher and coach at a Christian high school, I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with teenagers, trying to guide them to a purposeful, Christlike life-characterized by love for God and love for others. My goal was to prepare them to live for God throughout life. That would happen only as they made their faith a vital part of life through the help of the Holy Spirit. Those who didn’t follow Christ floundered after they left the influence of Christian teachers and parents.
This is demonstrated in the story of King Joash of Judah and his uncle Jehoiada. Jehoiada, a wise counselor, influenced Joash to live a God-honoring life (2 Chron. 24:11,14).
The problem was that Joash did not embrace an honorable life as his own. After Jehoiada died, King Joash “left the house of the LORD” (v.18) and began to worship in a pagan way. He turned and became so evil that he had Jehoiada’s son murdered (vv.20-22).
Having someone in our lives to guide us toward faith and Christlikeness can be good and helpful. Even better is getting to know the Lord ourselves and learning to rely on the Holy Spirit to be our guide (Gal. 5:16). That is making our faith personal.
Lord, thank You for the people in my life who influence me toward following You. Help me not to depend on them primarily-but to depend on Your Holy Spirit to guide me.
The faith of others encourages; a faith of our own transforms.
Insight
Joash was the youngest king to reign in Jerusalem. Because he was 7 years old when his reign began, he was in special need of guidance. In the New Testament, Paul highlights the importance of mentors when he says, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).
Read: 2 Chronicles 24:1-2,15-22
Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. – Galatians 5:16
