Sacrifice is required to Move Up!

This is an excerpt from one of my books, What Is That In Your Hand a discovery of purpose.

To move up, you have to give up something. What are you giving up today? Be warned though that, as you sacrifice by giving up to go up, it does take time to get to where you desire to be.

There is no shortcut to fulfilling destiny. It takes time, and a lot of sacrifice. It follows a process that God had laid down. No one moves from birth to adulthood for example without going through infancy, childhood, teenage years etc. In the same way, even when you discover what your gifting, talent or purpose on earth is, full maturity by way of execution takes time.

The waiting or growing time is the period when character is formed and developed. God said He would never leave nor forsake you and remember that He sent you on the errand here on earth. So when all seems to be dark and bleak, and God seems to be far away and things just don’t seem to be adding up in pursuit of your purpose, He is actually right there with you. Remember great prophets like Abraham and even David, that God said He loves had moments when it seemed to them as though God had abandoned them. Even Jesus cried out just before His crucifixion wondering why God had forsaken Him. God never left them. He was right there, but turned His face occasionally. So don’t despise the small beginnings or the trying moments on the journey. They are often critical pieces of the puzzle of your life, to build character.

Thankfully God is always right there with us in those moments. Though He is never in a hurry, He is always on time.

Remember the widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17: 8-16?

“Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.” 1 Kings 17: 13

Hmmmm, Elijah said, make bread for me before you make for you and your son. The little she had, she released to God (Sacrifice) and God as is typical multiplied it. It takes the right attitude, hard work, sacrifice and determination to succeed.

I recall the following from the General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor E.A. Adeboye in Open Heavens daily devotional of November 25 2012. I have personally benefited from this.

“There were several prophecies concerning the work the Lord had given me to do when I newly became the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God. On the 24th of December 1974 at Orimolusin College, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State (South-West Nigeria), the Lord said to me that He was going to build me a great army, which I would lead into the battle. But in 1981 when I assumed office as the General Overseer, the entire membership of the Redeemed Christian Church of God was below 1000. To actualize that promise, I prayed, fasted, held special programs every month. I also conducted seminars and outreaches which people attended but left immediately the programwas over. I later travelled to some other places but I did not see it, so I kept asking: “Where is the great army?” Suddenly, the turning point came and here we are today.”

Do you know that while a human being carries a pregnancy for nine months, a rat does so for twenty days, and an elephant for almost two years (22 months to be precise)? Just as it is in nature, so also it is in the physical. There is no fast way to success. That big promise of God for you riding on what is in your hand or that harvest you desire, the bigger it is, the longer it usually would take to come to fruition.

In rounding up, remember, to move up, you have to give up something. What are you giving up today?