Diligence is a key factor in succeeding in life. Diligence is the constant effort to accomplish what you set out to do.
Keep going.
Diligence is critical in several areas of life. Luke 18 describes a widow bothering a judge endlessly to rule in her favor. She continually asked him to help her with someone who was her adversary. She was diligent.
In Luke 11, Jesus said that the person who prays must have importunity, which means constantly pressing or urging in request or demand. Jesus tells us how to pray by approaching our Father initially and then to keep coming back. He gave the example of someone who asks his friend for bread in the middle of the night. And even though the friend said no, he kept asking. Finally, the friend gives in. Jesus said because of his importunity, the one who needs the bread will receive it.
Then Jesus said to ask, seek, and knock.
I’ve considered this (poor) example of asking someone for directions to their home. You can’t simply ask for directions and expect to magically arrive. You must seek or travel the road to wherever you desire to go. And once you arrive, you must go to the door and enter.
It is a continual process. The only stopping point is once you arrive at your desired location.
The ask, seek, and knock principle is summed up in one word: diligence — a constant effort to accomplish what you have in mind.
However, with prayer, there are stipulations. Jesus said in Matthew 21:24 that whoever asks something in prayer must believe. Believe that the all-powerful God can do what you have requested. There mustn’t be any doubt in God. So, belief is one of the stipulations of prayer. And even if your prayer is unanswered, you must still believe that God is able.
Belief in God is disclosed as a necessary component of seeking God (through prayer or otherwise) in Hebrews 11:6. Those who approach God (in prayer or otherwise) must believe that He is. But if you don’t believe in God, you probably aren’t praying anyway. So, the big issue is this next part of the verse. In addition to believing in God, you must also believe that He will reward those who diligently seek Him. Diligence. Just keep going. Keep asking, seeking, and knocking.
Another stipulation in prayer is not asking amiss. James 4:3 says, You ask and don’t receive what you ask because you ask amiss. Asking for something so you can self-indulge and experience carnal gratification is a request that God will not grant.
That doesn’t mean that you can’t request something that will help you or make your life easier. It means that asking for something God has stated in His word is sinful or an abomination is asking amiss. God will not give us something that He disapproves of. And if you don’t know what that is, a simple yet thorough reading of the Holy Bible will clear up any questions.
Diligence is something I try to practice every day. How? I write a story and post it, or at least write a story whether I post it or not.
I’m practicing a constant effort to accomplish what I have set out to do.
And it isn’t easy. But most good things in life aren’t easily acquired or accomplished.
I want to be diligent in every area of life, but especially in prayer.
to those who are constant,
– Caleb
caneymountainblog.com 