Rough Road To Our Rewards
Monday, December 18, 2023Key Verse
“Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh” (Luke 6:21).
Text — Luke 6:20-26
Message
The popular saying, “He who laughs last, laughs best” not only has a pinch of truth in it but the backing of Scriptures. There is such a thing as deferred or delayed gratification. It means the act of resisting the impulse to take an immediately available reward in the hope of obtaining a more-valued reward in the future. One of the most important challenges we face in life is the need to delay gratification.
The ability to either forgo immediate temptations or persist in a difficult activity in order to reach your goal, is a key component of success. Whether the goal is to pass an exam, save for the future, build a career or even make heaven, you need to discipline yourself now to achieve a future reward. The Scriptures teach us that there are sowing times and reaping times. Sowing times are not pleasant times. They involve toils, tears and thorns. But with patience and persistence, the rewards are sure to follow. You achieve your long-term goals through challenges and temptations. However, “ye shall laugh” when you see Jesus face to face.
Quote
He who laughs last, laughs best
Challenge
Patience and persistence will be rewarded.
Prayer for today
Lord, help me to discipline myself now for the future rewards.
About Author - Pastor W.F. Kumuyi
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
