We are constantly bombarded by competitions. Cookoffs, golf, football, and just about anything else that can be a competition is televised. We are heralded as winners! Winners. Interesting concept of being a winner, isn’t it? Winner of what—a trophy, ribbon, title, or level of accomplishment? Most of the winners I have seen lately are the chefs who can take odd ingredients and create a black pepper, cactus, and marmalade cake in 20 minutes! Yea, we have a new winner!
All joking aside, we love to see people who have worked to accomplish a goal they set for their lives. Leading up to that moment of public victory are hours of unseen times where the real work is done. It’s the concealed moments that are spent thinking, praying, researching, or perfecting a process that warrant the applause, because that’s where much of the real work happens! It’s actually the culmination of hours of unseen work that becomes public.
I started studying piano when I was 9. I had waited until that magic age so Mom and Dad could enroll me in piano lessons. Finally, the day came for my first lesson. I was the happiest person I knew to be in a place to learn how to play the piano—my dream. And oh, the sacrifices they made to pay for piano lessons and a piano! But it meant the world to me.
After the first lesson, I realized that the practice time at home was where the real work was going to happen. The lesson time was merely a checkpoint to see if the behind-the-scenes work had been done. And oh, the agony of knowing I hadn’t practiced as I should have when the day came for the trip to Mrs. Taft’s for my lesson. She knew….
I have loved the piano ever since my first lesson. I enjoyed being on church staffs serving at the piano and then later, the organ. But guess what—I still had to practice before each service!
There’s a richness to be found in the unseen, the giving of ourselves to a task that will be applauded by no one other than God. Giving everything to this part of the process will ensure that what is seen is the result of unseen work. Determination and desire are important to any process of accomplishing a goal. Many times you have to give up other things in order to do this.
Have we given up on dreams that we have? Maybe we tucked them away and thought that someday we will do this. Well today is the day. Take time and think about the one thing you would love to do that will be a journey and not an overnight accomplishment—something that you really have longed to do. Let yourself dream, and then start your dream.
The greatest satisfaction will come when you are pleased with yourself. Your new journey may be seen and applauded by others, but all that matters is you are happy with your accomplishment.
What are your dreams?