Any idea of a shortcut to a life of significance is mere illusion. From the pages of history texts and the holy writ, we have overwhelming evidence that anything worthwhile takes time. Those who do not imbibe this time-tested truth will run afoul of the law and cause great harm to their vision, and perhaps their lives. In the past three meditations, we have learned from the life of William Wilberforce that making a mark requires passion, platform, and partnering with others. The next thing to add is perseverance. Without a dogged determination to go on in the face of all odds, the best of causes will be doomed to failure. History is full of people with wonderful causes who made nothing of them. Their problem was that they lacked the inner fortitude to hold on under pressure. They chickened out of their purpose and added to the long list of people who could be described as loafers.
“Any idea of a shortcut to a life of significance is mere illusion. If your cause is worthwhile, do not be perturbed if there are no immediate successes. At the fullness of time, it will speak.”
William Wilberforce had to battle against a number of setbacks. The bill he introduced in the House of Commons in 1793 advocating gradual abolition of slave trade failed by eight votes. After that, he brought another bill to prohibit British ships from carrying slaves to foreign territories. That bill also lost by two votes. This bill was reintroduced virtually every year in 1790s but suffered defeat repeatedly. It was not until 1807 that his latest motion gained popular support when it was debated. After the stoppage of slave trade, he devoted another 25 years of his life to ending slavery itself as an institution. The point again is, there is no short cut to success. James employed the patience of the farmer to encourage believers to hold on. If your cause is worthwhile, do not be perturbed if there are no immediate successes. At the fullness of time, it will speak.