2. What is in you, not what is around you, will decide your future.
Where you go in life and what you accomplish here on Earth depends upon what is inside you: your heart for God and your strength, commitment, passion, and vision. The government is not deciding your future, and neither is the economy, the boss, your spouse, not even God. In addition, accidents, failures, and sickness do not control your destiny or change God’s plan for your life. Where you will be next year or in five, ten, or fifty years is completely dependent upon what is inside your heart. We talked about this scripture in the Vision section, but it is worth repeating: Matthew 12:35 says, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” What’s in your heart?
We often refer to athletes in this way: “He’s not very fast or tall, but he’s got such big heart!” Or “By all statistics, this team should not be winning the championship, but they have such a heart to go all the way.” So many times we see top teams lose in the final rounds because they don’t “show up” to the championship; they seem to play by rote and their edge for competition is dull. When you go to your job each day, do you show up full-hearted? Or do you come half hearted and lukewarm-hearted?
The scripture says the good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, will accomplish good things. A “good” treasure is one of faith, vision, hope, and a desire to do things God’s way. As a result, that good man brings forth good families, good influence, good companies, and good works of integrity and righteousness. He is an example for others to follow and an inspiration for those around him.
An “evil” treasure is a “fleshly” or a “worldly” treasure. This is the heart that is consumed with greed, selfishness, and lust, and this heart brings forth car wrecks, dysfunctional families, addictions, and disasters. This is a life that breeds blame, condemnation, doubt, anger, and bitterness. And in a lesser aspect, a bad heart can bring forth a lazy life or a mediocre life: a lukewarm life that doesn’t attempt to produce anything good.
What is the treasure of your heart?
This
is what will determine your future, and if you spend your time looking to the government, the economy, or the relative to bring change or improvement to your life, you are looking in the wrong direction. Whatever you don’t like about your life, or any area you are dissatisfied with, you must look inward for the answers, not outward. The circumstances around you may never change, but if you will rise up on the inside with faith, strength, direction and power, you will be able to change how you deal with those circumstances. Even if they never change, you
can
, and then you will overcome any problem or situation that tries to hold you back.