Just Do It
A famous saying probably more widely known than the brand its tied to. But what does this popular phrase mean?
‘Just do it’
Just do what? What is it?
It could mean a lot of things. Accomplish your goals, get it done, don’t give up, stop procrastinating. For me, it means to be persistent. No playing around, go in, get it done, get out. You might struggle along the way but don’t you dare stop until you’ve achieved your dreams.
That’s what ‘Just do it’ means for me, but what can it mean to us as Believers? Is there a Divine Duty set before us to accomplish?
Yes, there is. There are plenty, actually.
Jesus laid out a number of instructions for us before He left. Preaching the gospel, living a righteous life, tithing, giving offering, helping our brothers and sisters in need. That’s just the beginning. And it may not be so simple as ‘just doing it’. Sometimes we struggle with our faith but God always has a way for us to find strength and that’s what I want to emphasize on.
Be persistent.
The first thing you need to be persistent about is what you need to be persistent about. Don’t start scratching your head yet. What I mean is, make a list. What are your priorities? What are your everyday duties and your long term goals? Write them down, put them in order from least to most important. Even the little things from pick up the groceries next Saturday to graduate with honors. Write down everything because if you care, then God cares and that’s in your Word.
“Casting all your care upon him; for He careth for you.” I Peter 5:7 KJV
Notice it says all of your cares, not just the ‘heal me’ ‘help me’ ‘hold me’ cares. God loves you and wants to help you in every aspect of your life. That scripture is gospel proof.
The next thing to be persistent about is prayer. Why prayer? Because faith without works is dead but asking without seeking and knocking is just as futile.
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:” Matthew 7:7 KJV
That is not a suggestion, that’s a commandment. And it has more than one simple step. Unfortunately, many Believers are stuck in the quick-faith system where they send a prayer and if it’s not answered within the next few days then God doesn’t exist. Illuminati confirmed.
No. That’s not how it works.
You don’t just ask, you seek, and then you knock, and then if your prayers still haven’t been answered, you do it again. And again, and again.
Think of King David and the persistence he had in the book of Psalms. He sends countless prayers asking God for help, deliverance, and even forgiveness. He didn’t just pray once, he prayed continuously. Why do you think those prayers were left in the Bible for us to read? Sure, they’re encouraging, they help provide guidance when I’m in a situation and don’t quite know what to say to Father God. But they were also given to us so that we can see their quantity, not just their quality. There isn’t just one simple prayer from David, or one simple cry for help from Job in his time of sickness and need. Neither did Moses seek God only once when he needed guidance. All three of these followers of God sought Him vigorously, relentlessly, and without cease.
That’s exactly how we should be.
So let’s take a look at the steps.
Step One: Ask
Ask God for what you want, but especially for what you need. Before then, you should lay out exactly what that is. God is all-knowing but don’t be vague with him. He is your Father, talk to Him like it. If you need help with the bills don’t just ask to get by, say that you need help with the bills! Even better, ask God for a blessing in such a way that you never need to pray that prayer again in your life. Or your children’s lives—that’s some big faith. Don’t just ask once, ask and ask and ask. Then begin to thank Him for it, that’s the growth of SEEKING.
Step Two: Seek
This part can get confusing if you’re not used to this kind of persistence. Don’t just ask, you have to begin to thank God for answering your prayer EVEN BEFORE HE HAS ANSWERED IT. This isn’t lying to yourself, this isn’t pumping up your head, this is putting words to your faith. SPEAKING good news into your situation. Words are power, we’ve gone over that plenty of times before.
So how do you seek? If you’re asking for a job, go look for one! Apply, and thank the Lord for His glory in the hiring process. If you’re looking for a new house, go look for one! Start saving! And thank God for providing you with the means to afford the beautiful home He has set apart for you.
Faith without work is dead. Praying the prayer is the act of faith but Step Two, Seeking, is the work.
Step Three: Knock
This is my favorite step because it is the very epitome of persistence. Knocking is a repeated action that is in constant motion. It only occurs once you’ve been met with an obstacle. Both spiritually and physically. Therefore, it embodies both faith and work essentially making it the most important step of the three.
Knocking is very simple. Keep going. Don’t give up. If your prayer hasn’t been answered yet, pray it again! This is the very principle of persistence in faith. Don’t. Give. Up.
Trust me, you are not bothering God by being persistent. You’re not getting on His nerves. He loves seeing how much time you’re willing to commit to Him. He’s in heaven bragging about you and your patience in waiting on Him and your childlike faith in trusting in Him, right this very moment. If you’ve been waiting a long time for a prayer to be answered, feel proud. It just means that God is trusting in you to trust in Him and not stray off the path of righteousness while you wait.
What an amazing thing to know. That you’ve been honored and trusted in by God to wait. It might sound irritating, and trust me it is when you’re in the midst of it but trust and believe; God hears you and He will answer. In His time.
God bless.