This is one of my favorite Jim Rohn stories. Too often we sit back and wait for God to fix that which we are fully capable of fixing on our own. We expect him to make an easy path for us. I frequently coach with people who say “I think God is nudging me in a different direction because it is too hard”. My response is “Or he could be growing you”. I am not sure where we ever got the message that if it were God’s plan it would be easy. Certainly I can find no biblical examples from Moses to John the Baptist to Jesus to the Apostles. Yet somehow, we think He will make it easy for us.
The Gardener and God by Jim Rohn
There’s a story about a man who took a rock pile and in two years, turned it into a fabulous garden. And people came from everywhere to see it.
One day, a man came by and saw the garden and thought it was fabulous, but he wanted to make sure the gardener did not take all the credit. He had this deep feeling inside that a lot of people leave God out.
So the man toured the garden to have the chance to meet the gardener. He eventually found the gardener, shook his hand and said, “Mr Gardener, you and the good Lord together have made this beautiful garden.”
The gardener immediately understood his message and his point. So he replied, “I think that’s true. If it’s not for the sunshine and the rain, and the miracle of the seeds and the soil and the seasons, there would be no garden at all.”
And he continued, “But you know, you should have seen this place a couple of years ago when God had it all by himself.”
When I first heard this story, it struck me that our effort is required to produce a miracle. Things don’t TO happen to us… they happen FOR us. They happen because we get up everyday and go to work. They happen because we step out in faith, we pray for guidance and we push through disappointments. We have to let go of the belief that those who are successful are “lucky” or “blessed”. We have to release the notion that their life is easy or their road is smoother. If we are to be successful, we must accept that they are hard workers. We also need to accept that perhaps they are working a bit smarter as well. We can learn to work smarter.
Everyone can be successful. As a coach I see far too many people sitting back and waiting for God to bless them. What they are really waiting for is for God to do it for them. He has already blessed each of us with all we need to make it happen. You have the talents to build it big. Go do something with it. God’s favor does not promise us an easy row. We still have to hoe for all that we are worth. Pick up your tools and go build something magnificent. We often hear that we are in God’s hands. I think we need to be reminded a little more often that we ARE God’s hands.
Be blessed and be a blessing to others!
Michelle
———————————————- Michelle Archer is a certified coach with nearly 25 years experience in direct sales. Michelle works with companies and individuals to explode their business potential. Connect with her on Facebook Learn more at http://directsalesinstitute.com/
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