Arise!

Prov. 22:²⁹ (LB) “Do you know a hard-working man? He shall be successful and stand before kings!” [with emphasis]

Today, I will start you off with some shocking background stories to the success stories a lot of us celebrate and wish for today. Oprah Winfrey was fired as a television presenter; they said she was not good enough. Today, she owns her television network. So you got fired –big deal! Turn it around. Michael Jordan’s high school basketball coach said he was not good enough to play basketball. Michael Jordan went ahead to win six basketball championships and five MVP’s. Michael Jordan became arguably the greatest basketball player of all time.

Michael Jordan said, “I have missed more than nine thousand shots in my carrier. I have lost almost three hundred games. On twenty-six occasions, I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.” Today, everybody wears the Air Jordan brand. He has stopped playing but he is still making money. Stick it out! Prov.24:¹⁶ “For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again…” [with emphasis]. This man the Bible is referring to is a righteous man. He has not done anything bad.

If you are reading this today and you have allowed yourself to become discouraged. I have news for you –it is your fault that you are discouraged. I know this may not sound nice, but the truth is that you chose to be discouraged. It is your prerogative to become discouraged. You may conclude that I am being insensitive, but it is a big fat lie! It is your choice. If you think you need encouragement, then encourage yourself! I know this is not very popular devotional content but you see, great people know how to encourage themselves. Great people do not wait for encouragement or hinge their encouragement on external factors.

If you are discouraged then you are choosing to be, my friend. I have a book called, “Grinding Out” by Ray Crock, the man that founded McDonalds. The book is his autobiography and he shared that he started McDonalds at the age of fifty-two. Stop thinking that time has gone by. Are you fifty-two years old yet? Imagine how many companies have become billion dollar companies because they supply toothpicks to McDonalds. What is your excuse? Trash it!

Prayer: Lord, help me to see as I ought to see and act accordingly, in Jesus Name. Amen!