the moment after the moment

Most people live for the big moments in their work or ministry.

A promotion.
Record attendance and growth.
The completion of a major initiative.

Those are great, but there’s a moment after the moment that’s even more important that you need to live for. It’s the real measuring bar of your success. And it will determine how much you’ll be able to enjoy these big moments when they come.

And that’s the moment you spend reflecting and rejoicing with the people closest to you after the big moments.

With your spouse after the promotion.
With your family and friends when the church is growing.
With your staff after the completion of the project.

If your relationships with them aren’t right, the moment doesn’t really matter.

What does it really matter if you finally get the promotion if you’ve sacrificed your marriage on the altar of achievement to get it?
What does it really matter if your church is bursting at the seams in attendance if you’ve become an absentee father to your children in the process?
What does it really matter if your team has pulled off a huge accomplishment if you hate each other because of the way you treated each other while getting it done?

You may have won, but you’ve lost what really matters. And your enjoyment of the moment will be minimized. Because you’ll be reflecting and rejoicing alone.

So don’t just live for the big moment. Live for the moment after the moment. Continue to cultivate the relationships that mean the most to you even while pursuing the goals God has given you.

It will make the big moment worth it when you get there.
-Steven Furtick