The Power of Integrity
The dichotomy in Jakes’ message is that although we need other people, we mustn’t set out to imitate their actions or copy their journeys. The idea is to be inspired to take our own paths.
So we have to learn to block out the inevitable negative comments, fears or erroneous input even from the people we admire or love. “You can’t use other people’s opinion as accomplice for your purpose, I can tell you that for sure,” Jakes says.
When it comes to making the leap toward our passion, we can’t judge the validity of what we’re supposed to do by the responses of other people. “What people think is nuts is anything different from what they’d be,” he says. “You definitely, definitely cannot set your sail in somebody else’s wind. You have to have your own wind because as life goes on, even if they all agreed with you, there will be times they will all walk away and leave you. I mean, they walked away and left Jesus.”
“You have to find the faith within yourself to believe in your dream and invest in your dream.”
When we make choices based on our instinct—especially when that choice goes against the advice of others—there will always be a time of trial, Jakes says. “Initially there is always a test and a trial and a place of separation, and always a time that you don’t have enough money and always a time that people don’t agree with you…. You can’t use the heartbeat of others to tell you that you’re alive. People who feel like they need that level of support before they launch will never launch. You have to find the faith within yourself to believe in your dream and invest in your dream.”
Jakes says the time of trial will end if we remain faithful to the inner voice that guides us to our calling. The sun will emerge from the dark clouds.
Maybe that’s why Jakes watches something that makes him laugh every night before going to sleep. “Laughing for me is an expression of faith,” he says—with a laugh. “As if I’m letting the devil know that what he did is not going to kill me, you know? You have to laugh at life. It’s an expression of hope that things will change again.”
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in May 2014 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness.
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