What Determines Determination?
I remember a time I was playing with a friend’s bulldog. I would throw a stick and that dog readily ran after that stick, but instead of bringing it to me, he would just hold it in his mouth, as if to say, “Come and try to get it from me.” I would run after the dog and as I grabbed the stick, that bulldog would just hold on. I would lift up the stick, bulldog and all. He would just not let go. Finally, I got tired of his game and let him have the stupid stick. That bulldog had determination!
I know people like that; they just don’t give up. No matter what happens, they hold on. Others seem to give up so easily. When any kind of resistance or trials come their way, they interpret it as not for them and they stop going forward. Somehow they feel that if it is God’s will it will be easy. I guess they have never read the passage in the Bible that says: “…In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16.33) The overcomers have to have determination.
What determines one’s determination? Determination reveals your passion. It is what motivates you to go for the gold. It is what causes you to press on, to confront the obstacles and not to stop until you reach the goal. Determination means you are not satisfied. When you are satisfied, you stop growing and you lose the spirit of conquest. What determines our determination? It is dissatisfaction.
Jesus brought this truth home to his disciples by telling them a story of a man who prepared a great banquet. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to call all his friends to come to his home to feast on the wonderful dinner he had prepared. As the servant went to call those who had been invited, he only received excuses that they could not come to the banquet. One said that he had some work to do, another said he had to dedicate some time to his wife and family and another had to examine a piece of land he had just purchased. These were some pretty lame excuses, but all revealed that his friends were satisfied with their own lives and had no motivation to do anything more.
The master of the house was so angry with his friends and their empty excuses that he sent his servant once again to the streets of the city to call the poor and the crippled, blind and lame to feast with him in his house. The servant went out and gathered all who were willing to come, but there was still room at his table. The man was not satisfied with an empty house and so sent his servant out one more time to invite those who were farther away and he was to compel them to come to the feast he had prepared. He was determined to have a full house and would not stop inviting until he had reached his goal.
God hates excuses, because excuses are cheap lies. He wants His house full. God not only wants us to respond to his invitation, but He wants us to bring others with us. He wants His dissatisfaction to be our dissatisfaction. He wants His determination to be our determination. Capisci?
Scriptures to meditate on:
Luke 14.15-24; 9.62; 8.15; Rom. 10.13-15; Rev.14.12