STRETCH TO SUCCESS

We all want to do the easy things in life. Today people are looking for the easiest way to become rich overnight. That's cool, after all who doesn't want to do easiest thing to get bigger returns? doing hard things always strengthens and prepare you so well to be able to face any challenge in the future. Again doing hard things stretch you and bring out all your potentials.

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You may not know what you are capable of doing or achieving if you don't go an extra mile from where you have reached right now. A lot of people stop at a place where they find comfort and stay there. Our comfort zones are often an enemy to our progress.

Jesus as a good leader never found comfort in the things of men but the glory that awaited him that he must stretch towards. He worked by spreading the word of God on daily basis and never rested until he finished his work.

In the Garden of Gethsemane he nearly gave up his mission when saw the hard things he will experience and must go through before saving mankind. While he was doing the hardest thing called "prayer'", the disciples were doing the easiest and the nicest thing called "sleep'':
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Then said he unto them, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death: tarry you here, and watch with me. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as you will. And he came unto the disciples, and found them asleep, and said unto Peter, What, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that you enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, your will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Mathew 26:38-44

After prayer he was moved and strengthened and still wanted to go through whatsoever that is unbearable and hard.

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On the cross was the last line he had to stretch to cross before he can call his mission accomplished and lay hold of the eternal glory. Due to the intense pains he experienced, he wanted to give up and called the father to abort his mission:

Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. John 12:27

Whiles people were enjoying themselves and having a good time, the master was having a hard time, praying daily, meditating, teaching, delivering people, moving from city to city, town to town spreading the gospel and that made him a successful leader:

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not a thing to be grasped to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11

It is sad how to see the number of people who want to be anointed like Jesus and do miracles yet hate fasting and can't even pray for hours.

People want to become powerful ministers of God but can't spend time with God.

People want God to use them mightily but abstaining from secret sins is a hard thing.

People want God to bless them but paying their tithe, sacrificing and giving offering to God is something they see to be a hard thing to do.

There is no way your full potential can come out if you don't do the hard things. Doing the easy and nice things shrink you to a comfort zone where many abilities are undiscovered and unrealized.

From @collinz, Ghana