1 Samuel 13:8-11 “Then [Saul] waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come . . . So Saul . . . offered the burnt offering. Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came . . . And Samuel said, “What have you done?”
One of the most common obstacles to success is the desire to cut corners. But short cuts never pay off in the long run. If we find that we continually give in to our moods or impulses, then we need to change our approach to doing things. Cutting corners is really a sign of impatience, laziness and poor self-discipline. King Saul had no boundaries and didn’t stick to God’s standards. His lesson to us, learnt the hard way, is that we need to apply God’s standards of accountability and be accountable to them. This approach will protect us. As Mabel Newcombe wrote: “It’s more important to know where you are going than to get there quickly. Do not mistake activity for achievement.”
Self-discipline is a quality that is won through practice. So we need to be patient and be sure that the next step fits in with the ultimate goal. As Brian Tracy wrote: “There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing.” Sometimes we’re in such a hurry, wanting to climb the ladder of success, without realising that the ladder’s leaning against the wrong wall; and if it’s leaning against the wrong wall, every step we take simply moves us further away from where we should be going.
So trust in the Lord and commit your ways to him. And here’s some questions for reflection:
• Do you know where you’re going today?
• Do you know what the ‘most important thing’ is?
• Is your ladder leaning against the right wall?
Lord, help me choose and live the right answers to the above questions. Amen!
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