Pursue Excellence

[adminpc]

When we are born again in Jesus, his Holy Spirit enters us and we are made new creations. With this comes a change within our hearts. There is a deep longing inside to be perfect as he commands us to be perfect. We can call this the pursuit of excellence. It is now within our spirits to pursue this excellence in everything and everywhere. This is a fruit of the Holy Spirit within us and our lives.
But the world around us and the atmosphere that surrounds us can be like a warm blanket we wrap ourselves in for security.

If we work at a secular business and are surrounded by people who do not have the pursuit of excellence within their hearts, but live by the code 'I just get by,' then if we are not diligent to bathe ourselves within the word of God and stand on his promises, then the blanket that surrounds us and provides for our substance of daily life can actually be poisoning us.


Can we survive? Can we continue to pursue excellence when the only thing we see and hear is contrary to our personal passion? yes, we can survive and excel in the middle of it. The first thing we have to do is recognize that we are being poisoned.


Have you read the Ben Carson autobiography where he tells how he rose out of the ghetto to become a doctor? He could've easily become a statistic and accepted the surroundings as his personal lifestyle. But if I remember right, it's been a while since I read the book, his mother began early and pushed him to excel. He is a great example of someone who pursued excellence and is having a victory. It took him hard work and years of diligence.


We must resist complacency. We must resist becoming lazy or taking shortcuts. We are not responsible for the decisions that other people make, but we are responsible for our own decisions. And our father God sees our hearts and will help and reward our efforts.


If you feel that you have been poisoned by the environment and let your guard down and are beginning to accept the mindset and attitudes of the world that are contrary to the vision God is giving you, then back up, shake it off, recommit, and walk on. Walk it alone if you have to. Really though, we will never be alone!


~~sj