On August 19, 1971, Sammy Davis Jr. entered a Los Angeles recording studio to tape four songs for his upcoming album, Now! One song would never be released. The other three would appear on the new LP.

One of the remaining three songs was particularly disliked by Mr. Davis. He felt it was too cute. Davis complained bitterly to his manager, who wanted him to sing it. In the end, the 47-year-old Rat Pack crooner refused to record more than two takes, putting no real effort into singing the song he thought might end his career in show-biz.

And yet, despite all this, “The Candy Man” became Sammy Davis Jr’s only number one hit, earning him a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocalist. Not only that, it became his signature song, the title synonymous with the singer himself.

There are times in life when God asks us to do things we don’t like. Maybe it’s something as simple as speaking to someone we don’t care to be around. Perhaps He wants us to give up our dreams for His vision. Whatever it is, we will find ourselves blessed when we do.

Paul reminds us, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, ESV). As followers of Jesus, we are no longer our own, but the LORD’s – “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

There is amazing freedom and blessing that comes from setting aside our own agendas and following God’s. His ways are far higher than ours. And when we begin to simply trust in the LORD and follow Him, we find the true meaning and purpose of our lives.