[Urged on] by faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and went forth to a place which he was destined to receive as an inheritance; and he went, although he did not know or trouble his mind about where he was to go.
—Hebrews 11:8
I enjoy watching or reading biographies of various people who have succeeded in ministry, entertainment, or business. Without fail, almost every one of them has “paid their dues,” so to speak. What I mean is that in the early days of their quest they had to be very determined not to give up or quit. They endured many failures before having any success.
Occasionally, we see what I call “shooting stars,” people who quickly rise to the top of their profession without going through all the difficult early days, but they normally don’t last too long. They come out of nowhere and disappear just as quickly. Character is developed during difficult times. Our call and desires are tested when we are told no, time after time, and still remain determined.
I am told that Abraham Lincoln ran for several public offices and was defeated several times before he was elected to the office of president of the United States. Many people would have given up, but not him. Thomas Edison, who invented the electric light, had about a thousand experiments fail before he succeeded.
Only determined people succeed. Just because we take a step of faith does not mean that we will avoid the rest of the process. God usually builds slow and solid, not fast and fragile.
