Faith – The Driving Force to Defy Adversity and Create Impact
Six Gears to Build Unstoppable Momentum - Bloom to Your Fullest (4-5)
Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right - Max Lucado
Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani activist for female education, grew up in a region where the Taliban had banned girls from attending school. Despite the threats and dangers, Malala was passionate about education and believed in the power of knowledge. At the age of 11, she started writing a blog, sharing her experiences and advocating for girls' education.
As her activism gained attention, Malala's identity was revealed, making her a target for the Taliban. On October 9, 2012, Malala was shot in the head by a masked Taliban gunman while she was on her way home from school. Miraculously, she survived the attack and continued to fight for her cause. At the age of 17 in 2014, Malala became the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Welcome to Step 4 of the Grow to Your Fullest journey(Figure below), part of the Bloom to Your Fullest series. In our previous post, From Dream to Reality: The Power of Execution with Perseverance, we explored the fourth power (aka Gears)— Execution that helps us act persistently to reach our desired destination. Today let’s delve into the fifth gear: Faith — the driving force behind execution.
Faith: If I perish, I perish
Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:15-16).
If character is the foundation of winning, faith is the momentum of execution. A character that pleases God helps us stand at God’s side, having faith in God helps us draw constant courage and power from Him. The two go hand in hand and help us grow to our fullest.
People with faith are audacious: they can make tough decisions at critical moments. They can make the right choice in unfavorable environments and pursue it at all costs. They may be opposed by the majority or face the loss of a stable job, but they still take the road less traveled. They turn defeat into victory, problems into opportunities, disadvantages into advantages, shame into honor, and accusations into innocence. They prevail in the end.
The famous story of Esther saving the Jews by taking stubborn faith and putting her life on the line illustrates the need for similar faith and the audacity to say, “If I perish, I perish” in order to accomplish something bold and courageous.
With faith, there are no questions; without faith, there are no answers - Max Lucado
People with strong faith in God constantly practice three things:
· Big picture: When making hard decisions, they come to God first, be quiet in His presence, and gain a big picture. They think through what’s going on, the people involved, and the environment; they seek clarity.
· Pray: They pray hard and seek to understand God’s will. They pray for God’s guidance and wisdom, for God to intervene and open doors, and for stronger faith.
· Action: With love and compassion in their hearts and goodness in their words, they are courageous enough to make wise decisions that please God and act on them with unwavering faith.
During the process to our fullest, it takes faith to know God. You have to take risks to challenge your existing value system and worldview; you have to have the conviction to face objections from family and friends; you have to be brave to commit your life to Jesus. You must dare to challenge your ego and crush it without any compassion. You also have to be fearless while fighting against all adversities. And finally, you have to be courageous enough to give up your comfort and start a new path from the very beginning to go beyond your current success.
Let’s continue with Malala's story.
Following the attack, Malala said, “The terrorists thought that they would change our aims and stop our ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear, and hopelessness died. Strength, power, and courage were born.”
Malala, along with her family, eventually moved to the United Kingdom, where she continued her education and advocacy work. In 2014, she became the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate, receiving the Nobel Peace Prize for her unwavering commitment to education and children's rights.
Malala's story exemplifies the power of faith and determination to pursue a big cause. Despite facing extreme adversity and risking her life, she never wavered in her belief that education was a fundamental right for all children, regardless of their gender or background.
Her courage and resilience serve as a reminder that even in the face of immense challenges, one person can make a significant impact and bring about positive change. It reminds us that no matter how big or daunting a challenge may seem, with unwavering faith, determination, and the willingness to take risks, we can overcome obstacles and create a better world for future generations.
Join us for our next post, where we will discuss the sixth gear of building unstoppable momentum: Leadership — bringing others to join you and achieve bigger and everlasting impacts.
May you grow to your fullest!
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