Taking the bull by the horns

ASK, SEEK, KNOCK

First, we ask the address, then we seek the home, and finally we knock at the door. Students and researchers follow the same sequence: asking questions about certain problems; seeking facts in literature about work already done; and then knocking at the door of reality by conducting wise experiments.

Likewise, believers should ask God’s guidance about problems and opportunities; seek and discuss ways to handle these; and eventually, knock at the door of real life by trying out various options.

In the first two parts of this series, we discussed asking and seeking. Now, we turn our attention to knocking. The first two are preparation for the third practical part: taking the bull by the horns.

Impatient and over-hasty people sometimes start with the third part, burn their fingers, and have to start all over.

Assuming we have done our homework well regarding the first two steps of asking and seeking, let us get our toolbox ready for the third part.

I had everything ready to scrape, sand and paint my deck rail for the fifth time in 21 years, but I just couldn’t get started. The job had become harder, because both the rail and I got older. I remember how I got ready for the final exams as student, and then stalled. It is the curse of perfectionism. I wanted to do something so well that I couldn’t start, fearing the result would not be good enough.

I have made some progress since student days. I know it’s best to start small. One cannot climb a mountain with one big jump; one must proceed step by step.

Usually, when I’ve started, I gain momentum, doing a little more than I planned for the day. Keeping that momentum is vital; distractions that last for several days make resuming hard.

The practical side of life is an excellent teacher. Once you get going, you may discover new detail, which you did not foresee, forcing you to adapt your plans. This on-the-job training may bring frustrating delays, but it is better to deal with them rather than ignoring them.

Watching the restoration of classic cars on television makes this point clear. When the restorers discover awful rust in a vital part of the car’s body, or a weak spot in its machinery, they must deal with it.

Once inflation had entered world economy, all projects suffer the curse of escalating costs. Whatever we try to make better, we must reckon with this evil.

Marrying a person, buying a house or car, receiving a degree and training or accepting Christ as your personal Saviour is not the end of the story. Achievements must be maintained. They need constant, loving care.

Jacob Van Zyl of Lethbridge is a retired counsellor and the author of several faith-based books.