I know when I was still pursuing my career, my success was measured by my accomplishments. I will be honest and admit that it is hard to shake that mentality. I am a "do-er" and so I always feel that I need to be doing something.
Just this week, I have been reminded that God does not measure my success based on my accomplishments. My success is not determined by what I can do. In fact, looking through Scripture we see that God works in the realm of our weaknesses most often. Because it is in our weaknesses that His strength is demonstrated.
I had a conversation with a friend this week and this subject came up. She is a singer and she said she gets asked why she doesn't pursue being on the radio or traveling more often. To most the measure of a singer's success would be being on the radio, being well known and having their lastest CD on the shelves. I mean isn't that success in the world's eyes. But thankfully that is not how God measures success. If it was then she would be a failure because she isn't on the radio and though she does travel some, she does not have a tour bus waiting for her to hop on it. She has peace because she knows she is doing what God has called her to do. And He has provided her many opportunities that she would never have even dreamed about.
She was sharing this with me to encourage me because I have been struggling with this lately. I know what God is asking me to do (write a book about my recent journey with Him) and I will boldly declare that I can't do it and so I struggle with feeling that it will be a flop because I am focused on what I can do and not on what the Holy Spirit can do. I even commented to my friend that it would probably never be seen on the shelves at Lifeway.
And I have to be honest and admit that I was measuring its success and mine based on it being on the shelves of Lifeway.
How silly is that?
How very much like the world is that?
I am sharing this because that it is how the devil works. You see I have not even been able to write because I am trying to control what the outcome of it will be. And the crazy thing is I have no control over that. According to Ephesians 3:20, if God is in it He can do immeasurably more than I can think or imagine.
My friend challenged my thinking by asking, "would you not consider it a success if it changed just one person's life?" Of course when you put it like that the answer is obvious. The problem is I haven't been thinking like that. And then let's take it a little further, what if you never were aware of that one person. Now that gets a little harder doesn't it?
The reality is...it all boils down to being obedient to God and trusting Him.
Ultimately, that is the only measure of success. Did I obey God and did I trust God?
I challenge you today to examine how you are measuring success. Are you measuring it based on the world's standard? Or are you boldly going where few go ... living a lifestyle of obedience and trust!
No comments:
Post a Comment