Proverbs 14:4 (BSB)
Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but an abundant harvest comes through the strength of the ox.
Is there a dream you want with all your heart? You want it to become a reality, but you have been put off by all the sacrifices you would have to make in order to accomplish it. There are not many people who want to clean the stables; oxen are large and smelly, and cleaning up behind them is humbling work that often takes up a great deal of our time. Are you frustrated with your lack of productivity? You should know that anything worth having is going to include some humility and sacrifice. You want to be in a loving relationship with the perfect mate, but you cannot handle the fact that people pass gas in bed. You want to take the next step on the ladder that leads to your success, but you refuse to go down a road that is different than how you imagined it would be. You want your success to come in a particular way, and you are unwilling to take a route that is unfamiliar to you, even though it gets you closer to where you want to be.
Do you really want to accomplish that thing you have always dreamed about, or are you just interested in having a clean barn?
Productivity is sometimes loud, messy, and frustrating. There will be times when you can barely absorb the heat of the day, and you may spend most of the day clearing rocks from your field. There will be things that occur that you had not planned for, and there will be years that what you have worked on does not produce all that you intended, but regardless of what your fields may yield, it and its bounty belong to you. May you have the courage to pursue your dreams.
