THIS TIME OF YEAR is exciting for most people. Every new school year brings new experiences. You get to explore new subjects and play sports. It also brings back memories of friends you haven’t seen all summer. And as school starts, teachers and administrators send out a supply list to students and parents.
I’m going to give you three supplies that are not on any school list. Take them with you if you’re a student, but adults can also use them at work or in whatever they do. In fact, anyone can benefit from these supplies throughout life.
- TAKE GOD WITH YOU EVERY DAY.
God never leaves us. He said He wouldn’t: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5 NKJV). But sometimes, we leave Him. We forget about Him, or we ignore Him. God is not just for Sunday and Wednesday at church. You need Him all the time.
How do you take God with you wherever you go? By living by the standards of the Word of God. Do what He has said to do in His Word. Don’t cheat. Don’t do mean things. Don’t bully others. Don’t say wrong things. That’s one way you take God with you. You take Him with you when you know what the Bible says. Then you act on what it says.
Psalm 119:1–6 (MSG)
1 You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God.
2 You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him.
3 That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set.
4 You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it.
5 Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping the course you set;
6 Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel.
If you take God with you, you won’t have any regrets. If you want to be successful, you need to let God be with you 24 hours a day.
God is not just for Sunday and Wednesday at church.
- CHOOSE GODLY FRIENDS.
It’s very important to choose the right kind of friends because they influence you. They affect the way you talk and what you do or don’t do. If you spend time around people who do wrong, you’ll eventually do the same.
One of the lies the enemy tells you is that you can hang around people who do bad things and it won’t affect you. That’s not true. First Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’” (NIV).
What are godly friends? They are the people who encourage you to do the right things (see Psalm 1:1–6). You need to consistently be around those who are godly, like you. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t talk to people who are not Christians. Be friendly and invite them to church. Learn to listen to the Holy Spirit on the inside of you. He’ll help you know who to spend time with.
Show me your friends, your squad, those you hang around with, and I’ll show you your future. I want to encourage you, because this is critical. If you’re going to be a success in life or at school, keep company with godly friends.
- DEVELOP GRIT.
Grit is defined as a personality trait in which an individual demonstrates passion and perseverance toward a goal despite significant obstacles and distractions. I call it a stick-to-it attitude.
This attitude got me on a lot of sports teams in school because I wasn’t always as talented as the next guy. Thank God, I could run! I was fast. I kept working hard to achieve my goals, never quitting, never giving up. No matter what, I don’t quit!
You need grit to get through school and college, and you’ll need it to get through life. You’ve got to persevere through every obstacle that comes your way. A recent study shows that a person’s level of grit is the strongest predictor of what they will achieve.
You will face tough times in life. Jesus tells us in John 16:33, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (NLT). Also, First John 4:4 says, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
You have to have the determination not to give up. I remember when I was in the Army at Fort Gordon, Georgia, in signal school. It was May first, and they were celebrating May Day big time. We had a track meet, and I signed up.
The last event was the 220-yard sprint. That was my event in high school, but the Army administrators had changed it. Instead of running on the curve, the racers ran on the straightaway. We lined up and took off. I’m a slow starter, so I fell behind. They told me later that our track coach had left and gone to his car because he thought we were going to lose.
But I don’t quit! I dug in. I gritted my teeth and started passing guys. Finally, there was only one guy ahead of me with about 25 yards to go. I saw his back muscles begin to tighten up, and I thought, “You’re dead meat, buddy! I’m just now getting started good!” I blew past him like he was standing still. And I won the race. That’s what grit is. Even when it looks like you’re losing, don’t give up!
As you go through school this year and throughout life, remember God, godly friends, and grit because all three will help you succeed.
Author
Kenneth W. Hagin
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