Everybody wants to have a good future, but not everybody wants to put effort into it. If we ask someone what things they want in life, they will say a good life. And when you ask them, "What is a good life?" They will usually say, "To have a big and beautiful house, to have money that I do not want to worry about paying my bills and getting things that I want, to travel everywhere, or to have a wonderful family." All these things are good, but all these things are only wishful thinking if we are not going to put our effort into pursuing them. No one will knock in our door and give us everything that we want, unless in an exceptional circumstance, like winning a lottery.
In the Old Testament, God asked Solomon this question, "Ask! What shall I give you?" Having this question from God was like winning a lottery ticket. Could you imagine the God of the universe that created everything was asking you this question? Solomon could have asked for unmeasurable power and wealth, but he asked for wisdom to know good and evil. He wanted to lead the people of Israel in the right way. God granted his request, and He gave Solomon wisdom. Solomon put his wisdom into use by building trades with other nations. He built ships for import and export goods. He was working to achieve what he wanted to do in his life. As a result, he became the wealthiest and wisest king in the world during his time.
There are no shortcuts in getting a good life. Every successful business has someone who has worked tirelessly to build it. Any successful accountant, doctor, engineer, lawyer, actor, singer, teacher, etc. must study and work hard to achieve their goals. Let us not be afraid of doing the hard work, because when we put our effort into it, we are becoming closer to achieve our goals in life. For example, when you put your effort into studying, you are not wasting your time, but you are getting closer to achieve a better life. We also need to remember that God is the only one who can give us wisdom and the opportunity to achieve our goals. We need to trust the Lord and ask for guidance. Never try to do it alone. God cares about us and loves us that He wants to give us a bright future.
Ask yourself these questions: Am I putting my effort into what I am doing now to be successful? If I am at school, am I studying hard enough to achieve a good grade? If I lack wisdom, what should I do?
Write down all the worries that you are facing today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you that you have a wonderful plan in my life, and you are always with me. Please give me the wisdom, strength, and opportunity to pursue my goal. Please help me to put my effort into what I am doing so that I can do better. Please help me now with (mention your prayer requests). In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.