The word “Cultivate” is of Latin origin, and the root word is “Cultivare,” which means “to till” or “to care for” the land. The idea is that the land is tilled until it produces the desired evidence of what has been planted in it. The word “Desire” is also of Latin origin, with “De” meaning “of” and “Sire” meaning “father.” Your desires are simply what the Father has planted in you. Your job is to cultivate that which is inside of you until it comes to fruition.

But here’s the reality: For anything that has been planted in you to come out, you must have intentionality and action, and they must be fueled by the petroleum of consistency. Intentions without action is an intentional mistake. You will not be successful. Intention plus action will give you momentum, but rest assured, the distractions of life will take you off course if you are not committed to consistency. The scripture says it like this: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” See, consistency does not have a plan B. It is the plan and the backup. This scripture teaches us that we will only be able to reap, to put in our hands that which is produced, if we don’t give up.

Giving up is the leading cause of excuses. Giving up is what causes people to settle for mediocrity rather than attain what is marvelous. According to psychologist Angela Duckworth, author of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, grit (passion + persistence) is a better predictor of success than talent or intelligence. In other words, if you are intentional and take action and they are fueled by the petroleum of consistency, it doesn’t matter what side of the tracks you come from, it doesn’t matter what you’re up against; it is predicted that you will be more successful than those who have the talent, the resources, the connections, and the iQ.

In the 1937 best-selling book “Think and Grow Rich,” author Napoleon Hill recounts a fascinating true story about the consequences of giving up too soon. A man named Mr. Darby and his uncle struck gold in Colorado and invested heavily in mining equipment. After initial success, the gold vein disappeared, and despite further digging, they eventually gave up and sold the equipment to a scrap dealer. The buyer hired an engineer who discovered the gold vein just three feet from where Mr. Darby and his uncle stopped digging. That junk dealer went on to become a multi-millionaire. Mr. Darby and his uncle learned a valuable lesson after hearing they were just three feet away: Giving up is the guarantee that your greatest fears will come to fruition, rather than what God has planted in you.

The scripture says it like this: “But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” Notice the key to prosperity in this verse: It is to meditate on the law day and night, 24/7, all the time, without stopping: My friends, consistency is what brings the desired result, even in the face of distractions and temporary setbacks. I believe that each of us is in a unique season, that if we fuel our intentions and actions with the petroleum of consistency, you will produce open doors, unbelievable opportunities, and an unexplainable favor in all you do!