Be Diligent

How can we change the world?

Read 1 Samuel 2

Can you remember putting in a little extra effort in something and getting a lot more out of it? Many of you have recognized you can be a world changer. But what is the starting point? Do you go to school and get more degrees, do you leverage your networks, do you increase your finances? What is the ground zero?

It is my diligence that will determine my success.

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• Scripture

The prophet Eli had been an effective priest but as he grew old, it became clear that his sons were unfit to serve in the priesthood. They took bribes, extorted meat meant for sacrifices from people and slept with the women who came to the tent of meeting.

34 ” ‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day. 35 I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his house, and he will minister before my anointed one always.”

• Observation

It was God’s desire that someone be raised up. It was not Samuel who put up his hand and said I think I am ready to do this. God is really saying: I am the one who is going to engineer change within Israel. In our case that means, changing our world emanates not from me, but from God’s heart. It is not something that we decide we are going to do. It is God’s desire that His will be done on earth and as a result He raises people up. It is God who asks us to align ourselves with what is on His heart.

Samuel had a role to play. When it comes to us fulfilling our potential, we spend a lot of time dreaming about things and a lot less time acting things out and ensuring that they become reality. When it comes to acting, it is a whole different thing. It was on God’s heart that he would bring change, but Samuel needed to be diligent to bring about his destiny.

We want the results, but we despise the process, we want someone else to do the heavy lifting for us. We want someone to break it down for us. But we will not become the person God wants us to be unless we become diligent in hearing from Him. Philippians brings this same truth out:

Philipians 2

12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

It is God who is at work in us. This verse says it is not even our own aspiration to change the world. God is the one who works both on the inside of us and on the outside [the actual doing]. In other words it is God who produces every good desire in us to change. He literally breathes good desires into us and brings those desires into the place of action. This is why when all is said and done and we become the kind of people
capable of changing the world, we cannot take pride in our own accomplishments. From beginning to end it is the power of God that infuses us
with the desire to do good and accompanies those desires to the point where they become concrete actions. Without his prompting we would be completely unresponsive.

• Application

Start by engaging in God’s word.

If you are going to change the world, your diligence must match your destiny. Many of realize what it is that God is calling us to. Unless you give in your time, your destiny can be aborted. Your diligence must match your destiny. Are you engaging with God at the level of your destiny.

Psalm 139 23 -24
Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong — then guide me on the road to eternal life.

God has put you in the place where he is doing amazing things. He is doing a new thing, but the higher you go the more you delegate.

• Prayer

Gen. 21:8-21. Some of us are so discouraged that we can’t even connect with this series. Like Hagar, so much stuff has happened. You are in a wilderness experience and you have put your vision under a shade and moved some distance from it having given up all hope of its survival. I sensed the Lord saying that He has provided a well for you in His word. You just need to open your eyes to see it. And you also have to fill your container with water and water your vision.

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How can we change the world?

Can you remember putting in a little extra effort in something and getting a lot more out of it?