New hope (Part 2) – Day 8

While lying on his deathbed, a vineyard farmer faced a problem. Would his three sons, who were spoilt while growing up, be able to take responsibility for their lives once he had died? He was not sure, so he devised a plan and called them to his room. Beside his bed, he told them: “There is a treasure buried in my vineyard. If you dig deep enough and at the right place, you will discover it.”

After his death, the vineyard farmer’s sons arrived at the vineyard with digging equipment. They dug from top to bottom of the field, but there was no sign of the treasure. However, because of all the digging, they had the largest grape harvest ever, in that field.

Where the boys initially were disappointed, they later realised that their dad taught them a valuable lesson. Success does not come overnight. You have to work hard for it and at times, a treasure can look different from what you might think.

Success requires hard work and perseverance amidst adversity. Henry Ford went through two major failures in his life (one in which he was declared bankrupt), before he built his successful Ford Motor Company. Walt Disney was fired as a journalist due to his lack of creativity, before his success with productions including Mary Poppins, Mickey Mouse, Pinocchio, Bambi and many others. And the X-Factor and Idols judge, Simon Cowell, left school at age 15. He worked hard to survive before landing his first job at a record company. Later on, he used the experience gained at that company to become one of the most affluent music producers in the world today.

Hard work and perseverance in the face of disappointment not only leads to success, but they also form and mould your character to become more godly. This is confirmed in Romans 5:3-5: Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Do not let failure put a full stop where God intended a comma. In addition, do not try to achieve success without God, as that success will only be temporary. Let the Holy Spirit guide you in every season and if you fall, fall forward, using the experience to move quicker past obstacles in your life, in order to taste success. Remember, with God by your side, there is little you cannot achieve in life!