
Nearly thirty years ago when we were starting out as parents and ministry, my husband and I would talk about knowing God and His purpose for our lives, having a vision, setting goals and being successful in what we set out to do. We surmised that “success was finding out what God wants you to do and then doing it”.
However, as the years have passed and we’ve continued to seek God in our everyday lives; on how to be a couple, a family, and seeking to honour Him, we’ve discovered that finding out what God wants you to do, and then doing it can look quite different from what you may expect. The process is usually longer, the twists and turns in the journey far greater and the outcomes varied.
Therefore, I have now decided success is far more than merely finding out what God wants us to do and then doing it. Success is also being faithfulness every day, doing and being as He had asked me to regardless of results or how long it takes. Some things are literally out of my control, and some things aren’t my responsibility. Instead, faithfulness and obedience to God and His purpose for my life are now my measure of real success, rather than what I simply produce.
We can far too often only look at the instantly measurable, the numbers and the external, whereas God looks at the purity of our hearts and motives. At who He has made us to be and whether we choose to make the most of what He has blessed us with. He sees our faithfulness, obedience and how we love and seek Him regardless of the so-called results. Life with God is a long-distance run, not a short sprint.
Today focus on being faithful, diligent with what you have, with a genuine heart and motives, as you determine to grow in trust and obedience to God. Let Him take care of your success.
“For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.” (Proverbs 3:3)
“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:23)
Prayer: Lord, please help me to trust you more with my life and its outcomes, and that I would seek to cultivate a life of faithfulness, and to walk with integrity before you, instead of focusing on being successful in everyone else’s eyes. In Jesus name Amen
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