As a preacher for more than three decades, Pastor Jentezen Franklin has seen too many Christians develop a mentality that says, “The grass is greener.” They want more out of life, but from a worldly, materialistic point of view.
But Franklin has come to discover that, like the formation of a diamond, a satisfying life in Christ takes time, effort and surrender to the Father’s will. Believers, he says, need to appreciate where they are right now.
“In the natural, it takes intense heat and it takes pressure to form a diamond. It’s just part of the process,” Franklin told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “I wouldn’t be who I am, and we wouldn’t have the church we have had we not endured the intense heat and pressure.
“In this instant society, we all want the picture-perfect everything—the picture-perfect marriage, life. We look at other people’s Instagram, and the grass is greener on the other side. The Bible says in Proverbs 17 that the eyes of the fool are on the ends of the earth. It’s like the guy who has this $100,000 bass boat and he’s throwing his bait and his rod and reel as close as he can get to the bank from out in the middle of the lake. He doesn’t appreciate where he is right now.
“[My suggestion] to everyone is to search for your own acres of diamonds. Ask God to open your eyes to where you are right now, to see the full potential of every opportunity that is front of you right now. Open your eyes to the relationships you’ve taken for granted. Open your eyes to the job that you’ve become so familiar with and that you don’t even appreciate. Enjoy where you are and receive that and ask God to open your eyes to wonderful things. Have a spirit of gratitude and joy, not thinking about what you could have some day. God will still give you those things, but be grateful for what He has given you for now.”
For more words of wisdom from Pastor Jentezen Franklin, listen to this podcast.
Curt Landry 
Michael L. Brown 
Rabbi Eric Tokajer 
