It’s 15 days into the new year, and I really don’t seem to have gotten over the previous year. That sounds absurd, right? I know. I will tell you about how I am feeling.
The new year has come, and there’s less hype about it. Just like 2020 taught us to expect less from what’s unknown, I think everyone came into the new year whispering their resolutions to themselves alone with a lot of silent prayers. There are fewer posts on ‘new year resolution’, ‘new year, new me’, among others. It is most likely people will spend each day as it comes, and that’s why I am writing this to tell you, ‘You can make this year a masterpiece’.
Like I said, it’s 15 days into the new year, and the countenance around me hasn’t changed. Like, we all haven’t recovered from the 2020 ‘pleasant’ surprises. Timelines have been interrupted, some goals have been short-lived, and our dreams are now enveloped with doubts. It is that serious. I’m sure I don’t need progress this year.
At a point last year, I was personally worried about all I had planned and projected. I was so worried and disturbed that I almost paid for it with my sanity. Then, phew, I did just one thing: I broke larger goals into milestones and eventually recorded significant progress. But this year, I think we don’t need progress; we need restoration, especially those of us who couldn’t maneuver our way through the previous year to make significant progress towards our goals.
There is a tiny line between PROGRESS and RESTORATION. I will explain. For instance, progress is when Mr. A and Mr. B were employed the same year at work with the same portfolio and qualifications. In five years, Mr. A rose to Level 5, while Mr. B remains at Level 1 of the hierarchy. That’s Mr. A making progress while Mr. B seems stagnant.
In the fifth year, Mr. B got a shocker one morning at work when he found a letter on his desk saying he had been promoted to Level 5 without having to pass other levels. That’s RESTORATION for Mr. B. Nail that.
The scriptures says in Joel 2:25 (AMP), ‘And I will restore or replace for you the years that the locust has eaten—the hopping locust, the stripping locust, and the crawling locust, My great army which I sent among you.’
So, what do you need now? Progress or restoration? There are irrevocable laws of restoration we all need to submit to this year if we must recover those parts of our plans. The cankerworm is called 2020. I will share few:
1. Tarry in the War Room.
I know many of you don’t want to see this, but as for me, ‘outside God’s will, there is nothing I want. And inside God’s will, there is nothing I fear’. Our experiences and expertise are not enough for restoration. There is a place for God in it. If you must restore the lost days, you must confidently tarry before him to order your steps and bring back what seems lost.
I’m a living testimony to what He can do. And that’s why we must seek his directions.
2. Get the right set of people.
Restoration needs people. Men are an instrument for your restoration. Just one person can be a source of restoration.
Walk with the wise and become wise for a companion of fools suffers harm’’ The scripture instructed: “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom, and with all thy getting, get understanding.”
The scripture describes wisdom as ‘principal’; it is important for the fulfillment of destiny, and one of the places to get it is your circle. ‘’Walk with the wise and become wise. This places a demand on you to choose ‘’wise friends’ ’and become wise. What are the characteristics of a ‘’wise’’ friend? Let me mention a few.
He fears God, loves Him, and serves Him
He is purpose-driven.
He understands the reason why he lives and lives for that purpose.
He is fully aware of his calling, ability, and strength.
He has found his gift and solving problems with it
He is consistent.
He has work (spiritual and secular).
He is decisive and optimistic.
He has control over his emotions and thoughts.
He has prioritized his goals, relationships, and finances.
If your circle doesn’t share these virtues of wisdom, then you are not ready for the restoration 2021 can bring. The verse blatantly states that ‘’the companions of fools suffers harm’’ another version said, ‘’but the companion of fools shall be destroyed ‘’ This indicates that the wrong circle will harm your destiny and simply head you toward doom. It is better to live with a wise enemy than with foolish friends.
3. Get out of your luxurious or secure zone.
On several occasions, I have heard speakers and read authors deliberate on the common term ‘comfort zone’. I felt ‘comfort zone’ wouldn’t be enough to explain what I’m trying to insinuate here, so I chose to use the duo, ‘luxurious and secured’ zone.
I’ve come to realize we all have a portion of our lives usually filled with massive comfort, serenity, and a feeling of security—psychologically, even physically. Having a portion of your life characterized by luxury is not an issue for me, but having that portion bind you to mediocrity could be so disheartening. I am allergic to mediocrity!
Successful people do what others do occasionally. What these people do daily is not a function of their comfort zone. A luxurious and secured zone keeps you out of reason and cripples your champion’s mindset. The only thing that saddens me is that the pleasure that most of us derive from that purview is mistaken for our life purpose.
Your luxurious or secured zone is the small world you live in (we all have one), where you are the core of life. You are concerned with your happiness, not wanting to look bad, and with your personal pleasure (good food, good music, good attire, etc.). This is the zone we all live in most of the time, and people who say they don’t are trying to prove something.
There were events that I never wanted to attend; there are meetings my body wants to boycott, but I push myself out of that craving for comfort to do them because I know every step gets me closer to destiny. I know that restlessness is discontent. Discontent is the first stage of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man, and I will show you a failure.
If you must get back what 2020 denied you, step out of your comfort zone.
Peace.
The Catalyst,
Olalekan Olatunbosun
