
Effort v.s. Results: Musa (as) didn’t reach the promised land, maybe you won’t either
Over the years I’ve noticed that the same issues keep coming up in my sessions with clients. One of those issues is the deep disappointment that comes with not having attained a certain objective despite their best efforts. I take this opportunity to explain a simple but a profound principle that’s truly transformative once we allow it to settle in deeply. That is that; the effort doesn’t yield the results. Our efforts are merely a formality — something we must do for the sake of doing -not the cause of the result. It is Allah swt who brings about the result however He wants. He asks from us the effort but He does not need the effort to manifest the results. The importance of understanding this cannot be overstated.
You see, when we expend our efforts in a certain direction we are usually looking for certain results (our definition of success). The problem is success is not always what we imagine it to be, success is not always the result we want. Success is having Allah swt accept our efforts for His sake (what greater reward can we ask for really?) and detaching our hearts from the expectation of our efforts bearing fruit how we imagine. Allah swt doe not waste the effort of His servants, so just because we did not get the result we wanted does not mean it’s all gone to waste.
Our efforts are like seeds we plant, Allah swt decided how, when, where and why they’ll sprout. Perhaps we will witness some of the fruits our efforts and perhaps we will not. That does not matter. We cause ourselves unnecessary anguish (feelings of failure, depression) because we refuse to be flexible with our definition of success. We decide success is the result we want and that’s it. We don’t allow space in our hearts for the result Allah swt wants to manifest as a reward for our efforts.
We close ourselves off to the greatest blessing of all, contentment in the knowledge that Allah merely requested our efforts and did not demand the result from us. Can you imagine if at your job, you told your boss despite your best efforts you were not able to meet a deadline and produce the work that was expected of you and that she was going to have to be ok with that? Imagine you go on to say that; in fact, you expected to be rewarded for your effort despite not finishing the work? It would not fly. With Allah swt, you don’t need to stress yourself with attaining the result, you work diligently with ihsan to the best of your abilities and you expect the best possible reward — not the result — but that He accepts your efforts from you and is pleased with you.
A common feeling that accompanies the disappointment of our efforts not yielding the results we want is the insidious feeling of entitlement. Some of us can get indignant when we don’t get what we want. We say things like; I did everything right. I’m a good person. It’s not fair. How come they get x when they don’t even work as hard as I did and they’re not even good? This entitled attitude is an undercurrent that can quickly pulls us in if we’re not careful. Being good, and doing everything right have nothing to do with getting what we want. Allah swt gives what He wills, to whom He wills, how He wills, and when He wills. No one has the right to dictate to Allah swt, no one has the right to question His wisdom on why He does what He does. If we don’t catch our feelings of entitlement right away and nib them in the bud, we risk drowning in an ocean of our own misery (not to mention the grave consequences this can have for our akhirah).
Get it together
Musa alayhi salaam fought the most ferocious ruler in history, he survived and led his people out of Egypt, yet he never reached the promised land. He died but a few miles away from it.
Can you imagine how incredibly difficult this is, to strive your whole life, to overcome unimaginable obstacles and to be so close to glory… only to have it disappear right in front of you. To not attain it. Your life’s work to amount to seemingly nothing.
Yet we know Musa (as) was successful. It’s possible that you’ll work your entire life towards a goal, putting in your best effort and never reach your destination — yet you’ll still be successful. The recipe for success, Allah swt has made very simple; just strive with ihsan (combining the correct intentions with the right strategy).
At the end of the day, we have to remember that we are but servants required to strive, we’re not expected to produce results and we are not entitled to results
Like humble servants; on our knees with our heads down we lift up our hands with our tired wobbly arms and offer up the best of what we could do.
We make our offering with a heart full of gratitude and hope; gratitude for the blessing of being granted the opportunity to even serve, and hope that our intentions were sincere enough for Him to accept from us. This is the attitude befitting of a servant. May Allah swt, count us amongst the best of His servants.
