I love how God told Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist) to hold and honor the Torah, the Holy Book, with strength. The intensity of this command is reinforced through the word ‘quwwa’, meaning strength or power. Just as God revealed his purpose and urged him to pursue it with vigor, we too are called to move with our calling with strength.

To honor a calling is to let it become your inner world, deeply embedded in the heart. When it takes firm root within you, it naturally flows outward with strength, because you are convinced and inspired by what you are meant to do.

We live in a pandemic of distractions, pulling us away from what truly matters. It is time to honor your purpose and begin with intention. Science shows that when we make a firm decision, the brain’s Default Mode Network,linked to self-doubt and the inner critic, can grow louder, pulling us toward old patterns. This is the mind resisting change.

The word for mind in Arabic, ‘aql’, comes from a root meaning to bind or restrain, while the soul is expansive. Allow balance: let the soul fuel courage, and let the mind plan the steps.

Remember the signs. Feel the conversation with God. Hold firmness. People and circumstances may resist you, but keep your gaze on your purpose. Protect it, carry it, and walk as if God placed it in your hands.