Be a successful Christian

There seems to be a belief that successful people don't have to do the "dirty" work on their way to being successful. The truth is the only difference between successful and unsuccessful people is that successful people are willing to do the things unsuccessful people are not willing to do.

Healthy people don't enjoy spinach and broccoli over chicken fried steak and pecan pie and super salesmen don't enjoy picking up the phone and making cold calls. The difference is successful people just do what it takes to be successful.

One of my mentors once walked into a gym and the person at the front desk said "have fun". His response to this comment was there is no way he was going to have fun. He added that he hated this part of his day and he simply wanted to get it over as soon as possible.

She was confused and asked him why he did something he did not like doing. He answered because he valued his health and the energy it provided him throughout the day. The gym was simply a means to the end to be successful in other endeavors that brought him fulfillment.

While I enjoy listening to theological podcasts and reading biblical scholars, I really find it hard to pray consistently. Jesus instructs us and teaches us how to pray with the Sermon on the mount but soon after Jesus reminds his followers that "the Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8).

This raises a fairly obvious question: if God already knows what we need, why bother asking? The reason for this is because prayer is about humbling oneself before God and admitting we don't have all the answers and need God.

Every Christian walk is different but God calls us all to pray, spread the Gospel, congregate, follow his commandments, etc. and we all struggle with some element of what it takes to be a faithful follower of Christ. With whatever aspect of the Christian life you struggle, dedicate yourself to overcoming it and not because you are trying to like it but because it will lead to your flourishing in other aspects of your Christian life.

Be successful in all aspects of your life by exhibiting the willingness to do that which you dislike in order to excel at that which you seek to accomplish. Start with identifying those tasks which frustrate you on your path to success and begin the process of making them part of your routine.

You don't have to like everything on your path to success but stay focused on the outcomes which are derived from overcoming these obstacles.