Talent may open doors, and prayer may open heaven, but only character holds the key to keep both open
It is often said that your attitude determines your altitude (how far you can go in life), but your character determines how long you stay there. I am not old, but in my few years of living, I have witnessed many people whose talents and intelligence took them to the top of their field, but their character brought them from hero to zero. Yes, real and lasting success requires real character.
In my work as a motivational speaker, teacher, and career coach, I have met several people complaining about the never-ending challenges in their lives. Most of the time, they attribute the challenges to unknown supernatural causes and resort to prayers and fasting as a way of overcoming them. Sometimes, people facing challenges fast and pray for years, expecting miracles to happen in their lives that actually never happen. You know why? Because they lack the attitude and character that actually attract miracles.
I am a believer in God, and prayer and fasting are good—no doubt about that. Fasting and prayer can change our lives, but they aren’t the solution to everything. This is a strong truth that many religious fanatics will deny, forgetting that even the master Jesus Christ, after fasting and prayers for forty days, the first voice he heard was that of the devil. You are obviously living in the world of illusion if you think that prayer and fasting are the antidote to everything.
My dear reader, the key to changing the unpleasant things you are experiencing is not about speaking in tongues, shouting as if God is asleep, or praying several times; rather, it lies in having the right attitude and character. To get the things you really want in life, you need CHARACTER THAT BUILDS GOOD RELATIONSHIPS, FOR GOD WORKS WITH RELATIONSHIPS, AND YOU MUST TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT, LOVE, COURTESY, AND DIGNITY.
No matter how talented and intelligent you are, the power to succeed flows through relationships. To illustrate all that I am trying to convey, let me share an inspiring story of the Shunammite woman in the Bible. According to 2nd Kings 4:8-37, this woman was barren. She was rich and famous but could not conceive. She might have prayed and fasted several times, asking God to bless her with the fruit of the womb. She took care of Elisha, a man of God, and through this act of kindness, Elisha spoke into her womb, and within a year, she had a child. My dear reader, supposing she was unkind, arrogant, and inhospitable to Elisha, she might have continued with prayers and fasting throughout her life and eventually die without a child. She might have spent billions of money moving from one health care service to another or from one “artificially created prophet and mallam,” some of whom might have linked her barrenness to innocent family members.
Sometimes, our attitudes and character are our destiny killers. Most often, we are the greatest cause of the very chronic challenges in our lives. Our attitudes and character can push away people who are divinely orchestrated to help us in life. Our attitudes and character can create significant barriers that prevent us from connecting with the people who are meant to help us achieve our destiny. To conclude, prayers and fasting are necessary but not sufficient for dealing with every perceived difficulty, challenge, or problem in life. Attitude and character always have their role to play.
In the end, your prayers may open the heavens, but it is your character that sustains the blessings. Your attitude may start the journey, but only integrity and humility will carry you to the finish line. Stop waiting for miracles while ignoring the mindset and behavior that prepare you for them. The door to your next breakthrough might already be open—don’t let a broken character keep you from walking through it. God works through people, and people respond to character. So live, lead, and love with honor—for the future you desire may already be hidden in the relationships your character has yet to unlock.
Share with others, and let’s grow together.
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