Doing Nothing is Still a Decision.

About 10 years into my ministry career as a pastor, I faced a difficult situation I will never forget. That’s not entirely true. I have long since forgotten the details, but I will never forget the conversation I had with one of the church leaders about how to handle it. His advice was, “Pastor, why don’t we ignore it, and maybe it will go away?” To this day, and for the rest of my life, I will never forget the impact that statement had on me.

Too many people, in every area of life, follow the advice of my former church leader. My suggestion is just the opposite: “Take Action!” When I say, “Take Action,” I don’t mean acting without forethought, consideration, prayer, or wise counsel from a trusted source. Taking action means knowing what to do in a particular situation and then taking the necessary steps.

Let me give you an example from my own life. When the idea for the I AM Bible came to me, I had many things to consider. How do I start? Do I have the knowledge, training, and skills to accomplish the task? Will the final product be worthy of publication? But I knew one thing: I was going to take action. It took five years from the start to the day the I AM Bible was available everywhere books are sold, and along the way, I took countless steps to bring it to life.

After the I AM Bible was published, I had the honor of talking with many people about it. I also had several interesting conversations with friends. One friend said, “I had the same idea,” referring to the concept of the I AM Bible. His comment fascinated me, so I quickly asked him, “What did you do with your idea?” His answer was simple, “Nothing.”

Every step I took to complete the I AM Bible seemed to lead to another. What if I had completed every step except signing the publication contract with Lifeway? The Bible would never have been published, and I would never have received the countless blessings my readers have shared with me.

Taking action isn’t just about publishing a Bible. It applies to every situation in life, from leadership decisions at work to disciplining your children at home.

The allure of doing nothing is dangerous. As someone who thrives on taking action in both difficult and pleasant situations, I want to assure you that the people around you will appreciate your willingness and ability to act rather than doing nothing.

Don’t suffer through difficult situations because you are unwilling to take action.

Life is too short and too important to let difficulties persist or wonderful possibilities go undone simply because you didn’t want to take action.

Take that first step!

Please share with me what steps you have taken on your journey. What did it take for you to take that first step and Take Action?

Regards,
Terry