The Secrets of Personal Developments.
29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29
Introduction:
There are three important words here that we shall consider briefly: Secrets, Personal and Development.
What is a secret?
A secret is something that is hidden from the generality of the people but known to some individuals or a group of individual. It may also be something that is necessary for a breakthrough or as information which has been kept away from the eyes and minds of many people. Therefore, a secret to your development might be things around you that others have been using to make success but you have not considered it as important as to make use of it. Today, I am telling you some secrets which you might have come across but ignored or trivialised as something not germane for your self-development.
What is personal?
Something that relate to an individual. This just meant that what I am about to discuss might work for a person here and not for the generality of the assembly. We are all individual and my ingredient for development may be your open development.
What is development?
It is a process of growing from certain level to another. There types of growth: growing taller, growing fatter,
The secrets.
1. Ascertaining the level where you are.
What makes people to aspire to greater heights is because they know where they are and realised they could have been in better place than where they are. It is not possible to get anybody moving from where they are present until someone tells them there is a better place or they discovered a better place by themselves. The prodigal son in the bible discovered by himself that there was a better place at home than where he was presently. His reversed migration was as a result of the poverty of the highest order that he saw in a foreign land.
In the recent times there are people migrating from trouble Syria and Libya to Europe because they have been told that just beyond the river there is life. They were made to know that being a migrant in a foreign Europe is better that the suffering and war in the desert. Do you know what level you are presently and do you know where you want to be or where you should have been?
AGENTS OF KNOWING YOUR LEVEL.
Stories from far countries.
Now when Jacob saw that there was corn in Egypt, Jacob said unto his sons, Why do ye look one upon another? 2 And he said, Behold, I have heard that there is corn in Egypt: get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; that we may live, and not die. Genesis 42:1-2.
You cannot know what is going on in another place if you don’t listen to the news or read news beyond that of your locality. Believe me honestly there are better place where you can live comfortably and achieve your dreams of a good life,
Evidence of people that have been there and are developed.
Another way of knowing a better place beyond your shore is to observe the people who had once gone out of your localities and suddenly their fortunes have changed gloriously.
Evidence of the educated.
When you see some people in your locality you will discover that what makes them better than you are that they were educated. For example, there are evidence for all to see that the educated are better, richer and opportune than the uneducated. Your friends, schoolmates, neighbours that were once at your levels and are now upgraded.
People who are doing extra-ordinary things.
There are some people that we have observed that they are doing greater thing because they are doing something extra-ordinary. you may find some of them in sports, music and drama and in the ministry of the Gospel. The way forward is to ask them the same question that Peter asked Jesus, should I come and walk with you on water? And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. 28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. Matthew 14:26-29
All these and many more tell you are not where you should be, there are greater heights to be reached.
2. Determination to develop. Lk. 15:17-18; Jos. 1:6-7.
As soon as someone has shown you that there is a better place than where you are, your present place of abode will no longer be an interesting place. There are certain things that may want to hold you down that you have to break away from: the primordial sentiments, the unprofitable work that you are presently engaged in and your friends. You cannot break awy except you are determine to do so
What is determination?
• Determination is the ability to see what is invisible,
• Determination is the ability drive your car in a road that has not been built believing that as you drive along you will get to a good road ahead. This is what Dr Martin Luther said: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!"[
Determination is the ability to see a big city from a village. When you see this city which others may not see then you will begin the journey of laying its foundation
Determination is the ability see yourself on a throne of a kingdom not yet created.
Determination is the ability to turn mere dreams into reality.
3. Learning.
Learning is a process of understudying a teacher or a leader. It is the acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Romans 15:4Pro. 1:5; 9:9
Learning methods
Apprenticeships
A person who works for another in order to learn a trade: such a person works for free, serving a master with the view that one day he shall become a master himself. In those days there are no formal school for learning trade, there are no Technical colleges, it is your master that gives you his own certificate of competence that will allow you to practice that trade.
Schooling
It is a formal training institution where you learn your trade but then you will still need some kind of apprenticeship to become proficient. junior doctors and lawyers are asked to worked with experienced Doctors and lawyers so they can lean beyond the books.
Watching others.
So many things can be learnt while watching others do the same. You can learn how to drive ifyou know how to watch other drivers. Observing processes and event. Observing the sun and the moon can give you wisdom.
4. Putting leaning to practice.
Some people went to school to attained knowledge but after obtaining they never put to practice all they have learnt. Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 2 Timothy 3:71. Going to school is only beneficial if we practice what we have learnt.
Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 2 Timothy 2:1-3.
5. Taking risks.
Life itself is a risk and every venture is full of risk. We have to walk by faith and not by sight if you really want to grow. We must believe the word of God which urges us to move ahead even when we don’t know where he is leading us.
6. Having a supporter
In life no one lives like an island and succeed. Everyone of us need an helper who will lead us along the way of our desired goal. Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. It is a curse to be lonely in the journey of life.
How did Naaman get healed of his leprosy? By the help of a housemaid
How did Saul become the first king of Israel? By the help of his servant
How did David rise up to prominence? By the help of Saul his enemy
How did Esther become the queen? by his uncle Mordechai
In life the way God has designed things is that he uses people to bring up people who do not know how to make it to the top, he uses people who sees to make the blind to see and uses the stronger to help the weak. We all need a helper.
How do we find the helper?
You can find a helper through your relationship with people. Just imagine if Naaman and his family had mistreated the little maiden living with them would she have been happy to introduce them to the healer? Your relationship matters a lot in finding a helper of your destiny.
Your observed efforts at progress.
Nobody wants to help someone who is not making personal efforts. When people observe that you are making efforts at something they might think it is time for them to offer you help. In the saying of the Yoruba people of the Southwestern Nigeria: when you are trying to move a load to your head and you cannot, people around will come to offer you assistance.
7. The God factor.
In seeking for success in life do not forget God , your maker and the way- maker.
For the LORD giveth wisdom:
out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous:
he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
8 He keepeth the paths of judgment,
and preserveth the way of his saints. Proverbs 2:6-8.
What we are all seeking for in terms of wisdom and knowledge can be bestowed on us by the Almighty God in a second. And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; 32 And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, 33 And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work Exodus 35:31-33
God can deliberately plant you where you will succeed without any struggle if he delights in you. Blessed is the man
that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners,
nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD;
and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water,
that bringeth forth his fruit in his season;
his leaf also shall not wither;
and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalms 1:1-3
