Everyone wants to be successful. However, very few people even know what that means! Most people would likely define success in terms of their bank account or point to some of the things they own. Some might feel successful when their name gets recognized by others in their industry or if they have over 1000 twitter followers. Still others feel successful after they have accomplished a goal and have the picture to prove it. But there is a problem with these definitions: they always put us on a tredmill that saps a lot of energy but never really takes us anywhere.
You see, if you define success by the $, you will soon realize that $ will soon not make you as happy and now it will take $$. Then $$$. You get the picture. You may feel unsuccessful when you don't get the recognition you feel you deserve. Unsuccessful when you get "de friended" on Facebook. One great achievement is shadowed by the next and higher is always better. Pretty soon, with every beat of our heart come the words: more, more, more.
Even for a pastor, it is easy to get lost in the many definitions of success that compete for our attention. Many times in the church we look at two things: attendance and giving to define success for us. Over the years, I've seen this first hand and honestly I've been guilty at times. Tossing around numbers and figures while trying to look successful and at other times criticizing those who did it because their numbers and figures made me feel unsuccessful. Like my dad always used to tell me during a batting slump, "you will always lose at the game of comparison because there is always someone out there with better numbers than you. So just keep swinging."
I am so thankful that God does not hold us to that definition of success. His idea of success is very simple and straightforward. You can see it in Joshua 1. Here we find Joshua dealing with the pressure of being successful because he was following the most "successful" man to ever lead the nation of Israel, Moses. Moses had done it all but now he was dead and it was Joshua's turn to lead. Joshua thought of Moses' success only in terms of results but God had to remind him of the real cause of Moses' greatness.
In Joshua 1:7 the Lord says, "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law...that you may be successful wherever you go." The Lord goes on to tell him that if Joshua would follow the Divine instructions that were given him, he would be prosperous and successful. The real definition of success is simply being obedient to God and his commands.
My prayer is that we would dump all those definitions that cause worry, nervousness, fear, discouragement, anger, resentment, and regret, and start living by the definition that God gives us. When we simply obey God's Word it is amazing how satisfied and fulfilled our souls become.
