As I was gathering my thoughts, and preparing to write about the topic, my mind obviously went to the most commonly known definitions of a key.  We know the purpose of a key is to lock or unlock a place of restricted entry.   Clearly no need for research there.  Yet I was drawn to dictionary.com and I am glad I was because there were two other definitions that perfectly serve as the foundation for my subject today.  The first one is “something that affords a means of access”.  The second one is “something that affords a means of clarifying a problem”.  Because the majority of my adult life has been committed to aiding others to become all they were destined to be, and in the process fulfilling their dreams, both of these definitions spoke volumes when I read them.  I have heard it said and am a firm believer that so many people quit and give up on their dreams just before they are about to become reality.  Sometimes they are so close, but life happens, discouragement sets in and in the darkest hour just before the break of day, they lose their grip.  It is sad to see that happen, but it happens more often than not even to the strongest of individuals, the dreamers, the gifted, the talented, the anointed! 

Henri Deterding, a famous oil executive who lived in the early 1900’s shared one of his quotes about success.  He said, “There is a master key to success with which no man can fail.  Its name is simplicity. . . reducing to the simplest possible terms every problem”.    I have no idea what Mr. Deterding had in his mind when he made that statement, but I can certainly share what surfaced in my mind when I read it.  When we look at what’s not right in our lives, and what has not materialized we have a tendency to overthink the situation.   When we overthink the situation it only complicates matters and at the very least creates frustration.  Having been one who suffered many years with low self-esteem, frustration was a constant companion even when I did not dignify it with a label.  I believe Mr. Deterding was indicating that if we analytically reduce our problems to the lowest common denominator, we will be able to not only identify the problem but discover the solution. 

I find it interesting that success sometimes is hindered by one obstacle that often can be a character flaw or stumbling block that has been allowed occupancy in a place where it does not belong.  A person can go year after year not achieving their dreams, while being trapped in stagnant daily routines.  It is because we fail to see what could be as clear as day, right before our very eyes.  Could the key to your success be consistency?  It is not that you don’t know what to do, you just lack consistency in doing it!  Could it be procrastination?  Again, it is not that you don’t know what to do, you just use every excuse not to begin!  Could the key to your success be your inability to forgive yourself for past mistakes and poor choices?   Those past mistakes and poor choices are to be used to thrust you into your destiny and allow your life to be a shining testimony of God’s greatness and delivering power!  Could the key to your success be establishing the ability to place and keep people in their proper perspective?   God will allow some people to enter your life that will be there to encourage, inspire, and push you toward your purpose.  While others will do just the opposite  — distract, deter, and even discourage every positive effort you make.  You hold the key because you have the key in your possession.  The Word of God validates this in II Corinthians 8: 11 – 12 (NKJV)

“But now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a

readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of

what you have.  For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted

according to what one has, and not according to what he

does not have.”

Prior to accepting the call to pastor, I served in three large churches on an executive level.   In my position I had keys to nearly every area of the church because I always needed to have ready access.  Over the years, locks changed, offices were moved, storage areas shifted, new employees hired while others moved on.   Even with all the changes, I held on to all the keys in my possession.  It was not for any type of power play or status reflection; I just did not take the time to sort through them to determine which ones were still valid and which ones should be discarded.  From time to time someone would pick up my purse and could not believe how heavy it was!  It was all those keys  — many of which were of no use at all!  How many times in life are we holding the key or keys that are in our possession to unlock our purpose and our destiny, but they are mixed in with keys that serve no purpose and only weigh us down.   It is impossible to mark or identify every key, therefore sometimes it took far longer than necessary to find the key that I needed to unlock the place I needed to get into.  Yet, I was well aware that I did in fact possess the key that I needed. 

You hold the key . . . it is time to identify it and use it!