We all want good things. We want to have decent cars, nice clothes, a high paying job, a nice house, and our own personal chef. These are things I think we can all agree on. But does having these things mean our lives are successful? How does God view true success?It is natural to want to be successful. Nobody wants to be a failure (I used to, but not anymore). When thinking about success, it is important for us to be sure that we have God's perspective on success. I doubt very many of us view success the same way God does. True success is not how much money we may make, how famous we may become, or how much we may accomplish over a lifetime. True success is obeying God and His commands. If we are obedient to God, we will accomplish all that He wants us to accomplish, and that is enough.
In Jeremiah 45:2-5, God tells Baruch not to seek out great things for himself, but to simply do what the Lord told him and the Lord would take care of him. If we are obedient to God, He will take care of us and we will be successful wherever He leads us. We may not be successful as the world would define success, but we will be successful in God's eyes...which is what truly matters. We endure our greatest successes when we allow God to carry out His plans through us.
God created each one of us for a purpose. We are all blessed with certain skills and talents. He wants us to make use of the skills and opportunities He provides us with. If we listen and obey God, we will be successful.
3 comments:
This is something I have really been struggling with lately. Some of you already know that my friend and I have started our own graphic design business. Lately I have been so caught up in trying to make money with our business and draw attention to our business, that I haven't been focusing on how God can use me and our business to glorify His name. I feel like I have been focusing on all the wrong things lately in my attempts to "be successful." I've been kicked in the face by this message and I hope it leaves a scar. I need to obey God, do the things He has called me to do, and focus my talents and abilities on serving Him. I want to follow God's plans for success, not the world's.
Coool Coldplay song on the blog's homepage! its one of my favs these days...I totally agree that it is very hard to mediate b/w the world's standards of success and God's philosophy of success. From the time I can remember, it has been engrained in my head by society and American culture that I should want this, have this and look like this to be considered successful. Everyone, even Christ followers, buy into this notion to some degree b/c we are hit with it everyday! It is reassuring to know that God doesnt care about my clothes, my job, my salary. He cares about my attitude and if/how I am glorifying him in my life. It is easy to say, but harder to do and every time I get into a conversation up! I have got to start training myself now to know and believe that God will give me what i need when i need it.
ha catie, i'm feeling the cold play song too...i really like the commercial with the soothing colors and the lead guys hand gestures (fun to imitate). Nice comment...much easier said than done, we are a work in progress
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