Have you ever heard the term “quick-fix”? It is one that’s used often in our society. Products and programs are offered to us claiming they can help us achieve goals without much effort. Various ads claim that you can “lose 20 pounds in 20 days” or “earn money the easy way” simply by following their 3-step process. If you’ve ever tried one of these, you know that shortcuts seldom work. Reaching places of notable achievement requires dedication and persistence.   If it was easy anyone could do it, right?  We will certainly face setbacks and struggles, and we need to gain confidence that we can overcome them. Fortunately, God promises if we do what he asks, his process will lead us to amazing places of success.

David makes the process clear in Psalm 37:5-6!  He writes, “Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Notice there is a difference between commitment and trust. Commitment acknowledges God’s ability and aligns us with him as the source of our success. But the success he brings also requires trust that follows him as he works on our behalf. We must have faith in His ability to cause dreams to become a reality. Oftentimes, this faith requires a change in our thinking. The shifting of thoughts is necessary, but it does not happen automatically. It starts small, as we allow God’s thoughts to become our own. These thoughts then turn into actions, which create habits that transform our character and lead us into a destiny.

Notice that in this passage David uses the example of a sunrise. He says that good things will come to pass just as the dawn overtakes the darkness. If you’ve ever watched a sunrise, you know that it starts with just a little bit of light. As time goes on, that little bit of light increases until the darkness is completely expelled. God works in the same way. He starts by placing a thought concerning his will in your heart. It seems like only a small part of the answer at first, but as he shares more and more of his thoughts, you know that you are gaining the power you need to go from despair to fulfilled dreams. As you commit to God’s ways and trust in His wisdom, it will grow into something bigger and better than you ever dreamed it could be.

So make a decision today-- during the dark times, how will you handle the light? Will you lose hope in the process and search for an easy way out? Or will you continue to have faith that it will, in time, overtake the darkness? I encourage you to do the latter. Allow time for God to work in your life. Success from God usually doesn’t come in a day but to those who daily follow his process!