How to succeed: Try hard. How to fail: Try too hard.
The pastor was sitting at his desk one day when he heard a bold knock at his door.
It was a young man, quite impressive in dress and manner. “May I talk with You?” He asked. “Come in, and have a seat.” the pastor answered.
“You don’t know me, but I was at church on Sunday, and heard your sermon.” I thought you might be someone who would understand.” The pastor encouraged him to continue.
The young man talked for a great while about life. He began by telling the pastor about his goals and aspirations. He was very specific about how he set them, and what he does to achieve them.
The pastor listened carefully and noted how efficiently the man set about to accomplish so much. It was obvious this was a person who knew the value of strategic planning and hard work.
If only I could be so disciplined, and clearly focused, the pastor thought. Frankly, he was wondering what he could offer this man in terms of advice.
He probed a little deeper. “What is your motivation?”
Now the man was not quite so self-assured. He thought for what seemed like a very long while in such an intimate conversation. Finally he said, “That’s how the game is played. I work hard, I earn money, I provide for myself and my family.”
The pastor went further. “How is it working out for you?”
“I am ahead of schedule. I have success far beyond my peers. I bought a big beautiful house in the nicest neighborhood in town. My wife has a new car, a designer wardrobe and a purse filled with credit cards for her every need. My children go to the finest school, and they have a playroom filled with toys and games that is the envy of their friends.”
“How does it feel to have so much?” asked the pastor.
The young man’s shoulders slumped. His hands began to tremble. He cried. The pastor handed him a tissue.
“I feel like I have nothing.” he said.
“I’ve been working so hard for so long, with my eye clearly on the prize. Now that I’ve won, I don’t know what to do. The things I have don’t matter. My wife, my children are busy with their own activities, they barely notice me. I have no friends”
The pastor spoke softly. “What about God? Do you feel His presence in your life?”
The young man’s eyes looked downward. He whispered his response.
“I am not worthy.”
For all the plotting and planning. For all the struggles and striving. For all the hard labor— he left out love.
The pastor wept with the young man as he reached out and held the hands of his new friend. Together they sat for a very long time.
At last, the young man’s tears turned to sniffles. He sat up straighter in the chair and looked at the pastor with new awareness.
“I can start all over.” As if the day turned to night and back again, the four walls of the pastor’s office became morning. Sunlight crashed through the windowpanes and flooded the room.
“Let’s pray.” said the pastor.
I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 11:9