[This article is part of the “spiritual leadership today” study/discussion going on this year. For all articles in the series, click the Spiritual Leadership tab at the top of the page. To have them delivered, subscribe to The Brook Letter]
(As a follow up to last week’s post on spiritual leadership, Getting Through Tough Times, an illustration…)
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised” (Heb. 10:36).
William Carey began his barrier-breaking work in India in 1798 with enthusiasm. It took perseverance to build cultural connections where nobody had before. To learn indigenous languages, write and print grammars and dictionaries, translate the Bible into Sanskrit.
In a single day, March 11, 1812, the years of work vanished. A fire in Carey’s print shop consumed his entire library, his completed Sanskrit dictionary, part of his Bengal dictionary, two grammar books, and ten translations of the Bible. Also lost were a large supply of English paper, dictionaries, deeds, and account books. Seventeen years of work were taken away. The core accomplishments of the mission were just gone.
Years earlier, William Carey tried to explain to his skeptical father that he had something constructive to do in far-away India. No one had done this kind of work before. It is why Carey is called “the father of modern missions.” He couldn’t tell his father at that time that he could practice medicine, because he wasn’t a doctor. Couldn’t say that he’d serve India’s political needs, because he had no skill in civil affairs. Carey told his father an ordinary thing that was rooted in his personal ordinariness. He said of himself: “I can plod.”
After the fire Carey knew what needed to be done. Despite the heartache and discouragement, he knew that he and his fellow-workers could retrace their steps and start with page one of the dictionary, the grammars, and the Bible translations. Page two after that. And the trajectory was set. Carey said he believed that it’s easier to walk a road the second time–and that is just what they did. It took years, but he recreated what the fire had stolen. By the end of Carey’s life, the Bible had been produced in whole or in part in forty-four different languages.10
He could plod, and he did plod. One foot in front of the other; one page after another.
Hardly any of us would list in our credentials: I can plod. No one in a job interview today, when asked about his or her capabilities would say to the boss: “Well, I can plod.” The word sounds a bit thick and ugly even when we say it.
Yet by any fair reading of Scripture, the greatest leaders were plodders. Moses on a decades-long march. David fleeing his enemies, hiding in caves. Jesus walking from one village to the next. Paul making long looping journeys, continually facing the same jealousies, criticism, and skepticism–and that was from his fellow Christian leaders.
It is the plodders who make things happen. They have faced “trials of many kinds.” And when they learned perseverance by not giving up, they were stronger, wiser, and more energized than before to keep their eyes on the right horizon.
Here is the secret of plodding, or persevering: you have faith that if today you take just one step in the right trajectory, you have done something constructive, and God is pleased with it.
“…you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:3-4)
What do you think of the statement: “I can plod”?
Thank you very much for this post. I welcome the affirmation of what has, for me, become a way of life.
This is a basic qualification for true serving the Lord. We can only move forward and complete the task the Lord has given to us in life if we can plod – beyond the discouragments, testings, and disappointments that are sure to come our way. We made almost 40 years of completed missionary service because we were able to plod. Thanks for the reminder.
…would like to have met your mother…whom you say…was an “I can plod”…person…
Thank you for posting this. It is very encouraging!
I have had these three words on my kitchen counter ever since you gave us this message in a sermon. People have asked me why I have a hand written piece of paper near the sink with the words, “I can plod.” I am always happy to explain. Now, I can also hand them a copy of this message. Thank you for this encouragement and inspiration. It is so full of wisdom!
I needed to hear this this morning, The spirtual journey that I’m on is harder than I exspected it to be. One day (one hour) at a time right ? Keep on ploding forward !
This is of great encouragement in being obediant to God’s will, and it reminds us to trust in taking those steps, “plodding” and putting one foot in front of the other when we are going through situations we fear or are unsure of, but can rest in the peace of knowing that we are obeying, trusting, serving and pleasing Him – The only 1 in which we should seek ultimate approval. Plod & Perservere! 🙂
Act 20:24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.
Mat 25:21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
In the winter following a big snowfall, I have to “plod” when going to the mailbox. A simple task done many times before is now different, more difficult and fraught with risk (slipping). But slow and steady does it and the completion of the task is satisfying. The return trip to the house always seems easier having accomplished the mission set out to do. Plodding is what the tortoise did so well. Thank God for giving us the ability to plod.
Thanks Mel! I am married to a plodder and she would say she is married to a pusher. I think there may be certain personalities that lend themselves to both practices. It is interesting to see how God puts them together. I agree that there are times when it seems Paul and others are plodding but there are also times when they are pushing. It also seems there is a cultural dimension to this maybe collective versus individual cultures.
I do appreciate the words of James 1:4, “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (NIV) It is a life long process that one day will bring us to the place of being complete. In the following verse, James 1:5, he brings in another piece that is important to the process, wisdom. Plodding or persevering without wisdom is pointless. What do you think?
thank you for post.its encouraging to know that its one step at a time though its not easy but God will accomplish what He has started in ones life.
thank you for post.its encouraging to know that its one step at a time though its not easy but God will accomplish what He has started in ones life
I was greatly encouraged by Carey’s testimony as it is so ordinary, so normal and therefore so
applicable to my own life. In my 28 years as a believer I have found that putting one foot in front
of the other is how I have been able to persevere in my faith. God taught me that sometimes just
standing or putting one step forward was good enough for him as He loved me in my walk and not
in my accomplishments.
This reminds me of the part in the Lord of the Rings, when Frodo and Sam and talking about the struggle to press forward in their mission to destroy the ring. Sam starts talking about the “great stories” that they were told when they were younger. In all of those great stories, there was one thing that made those stories special: “Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something…
…That there’s some good in this world…and it’s worth fighting for.”
May we continue to plod and not turn back, because we know the Kingdom of Heaven is breaking in…even if it feels like a mustard seed at times.
(here’s a youtube clip of Sam’s Speech: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEMdXhfO-Wk&feature=related)
Thank you so much for reminding us. William Carey is considered to be the modern Missionary. The number of most challenging things he did in our country has become the part of our Indian History as well even the Indian Government consider him that he was one of the modern India building. Every one who considers to go to mission field, must read about him and how he was involved in nation building while he was preaching the word of GOD. He never gave up. I would highly recommend every one who is considering the mission field to see his movie ‘CANDLE IN THE DARK. It will be nice if you can organize to show it at the Church. God Bless You.
Thank you, Mel.
Impact to me: One foot in front of the other; one page after another.
Make things happen…
Take just one step in the right trajectory,…
I am a plodder! My husband lost his job in April 2009, we filed for bankruptcy because of mounting medical and family bills, we are in foreclosure on our home, yet our family is intact. Our two sons who still live at home have been helping with the bills and we have managed to plod through. Our God is a righteous God and He is our provider. We don’t know where we are going to live and we don’t know where our jobs will be. But we look to God, our banner, our strength, our Rock and Salvation and He is our peace. I can’t wait to see how this will all turn out because it won’t be our doing, but God’s.
Which message was that? I’d like to listen to it. Since the fire of disability blazed through my life, it seems life consists of a series of “plods.” Thanks for your encouraging article!
I wouldn’t have made it to 25 years in Japan if I hadn’t been a plodder. Sometimes the discouragements are overwhelming and I wonder if I will be able to finish the race. It doesn’t help when I see an attitude of “triumphalism” directed at missionary work – if you’re not seeing more fruit (read: success) you must be doing something wrong. I hope that something is happening as a result of my plodding – for the sake of the millions here without Christ.
You ask what do we think of plodding? I had to laugh at myself because at just the thought of the word I took in a deep breath and exhaled in a heavy sigh. Last week you talked about Perseverance and that word sparks such intensity, a readiness for battle and victory. I think of plodding and the first thing that comes to mind is Eyore, the dreary little sad donkey from the “Winnie the Pooh” series. I think of resignation and drudgery. Taking a moment to really think about what it means I think of words like stillness, quietness and peace. More like private intentional moment by moment decisions to listen for God’s voice and obey – no fanfare or excitement but just one seemingly unimportant decision after another to do the right thing. And at the end, as you said, hoping to hear the words “well done good and faithful servant”. It sounds quite nice actually!
All of us can. Thank you God that we all matter to you.
Thanks for the article, Mel. Plodding for the Kingdom bring much joy and peace. God is good.
I, too, can plod and was encouraged when you first gave this message in a sermon and now again in this article. Thanks, Mel.
Thanks for some quality points there. I am kind of new to online , so I printed this off to put in my file, any better way to go about keeping track of it then printing?
Excellent article. In this day and age of blogging and surfing, and phishing and browsing, we all can “PLOD”. Shall keep ‘plodding” till Jesus returns. Thanks again and God bless!