Success Is a Process
“The true foundation of success is to know and do the will of God.”
Today on the blog we are sharing an important excerpt from the book Tested and Approved: 21 Lessons of Life and Ministry by Tom Lane.
Success Is a Process
Some people believe in the statement, “God helps those who help themselves.” This familiar quotation reflects the idea that God leaves it completely up to us to pursue our own success. This is a false and dangerous assumption to embrace. It reflects only part of our partnership with God. He does expect us to act rather than become passive while we sit and wait for Him to act. Nevertheless, we should act in response to God’s leading as we are obedient to His voice. He neither wants nor expects us to operate independently from His direction and work.
Success is not the result of your brilliance, strategic efforts, or individual diligence; rather, it comes by the grace and mercy of God, who works in and through you. If you define success by your accumulation of wealth or your victory over your competition, then you totally miss God’s definition. Solomon wrote,
There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy on mankind: a man to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous evil (Ecclesiastes 6:1–2 ESV).
It is true that you need diligence, faithfulness, and hard work to produce the fruit of success. However, only when you link those important qualities to your obedience to God’s direction will they lead you to the success God intends for you. God’s success will be followed by contentment and thankfulness.
Solomon continued,
Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God (Ecclesiastes 5:19 ESV).
In God’s eyes success comes because of your obedient actions linked with your individual efforts. That is the process by which God will make the most of the talents and resources He has graciously given to you. If you try to define success in any other way, then you will fall into the devil’s trap, and he will rob you of the joy of God’s blessings and partnership.
Ask yourself, Am I pursuing success as defined by a standard other than God’s? Am I comparing my results with others as a measure of success? Don’t measure your success by comparing yourself to someone else.
God is your standard as you pursue His plan and direction. Obediently follow Him with diligence as you apply your talents and resources to the process. Only then will you discover and fulfill God’s will in all things.
Purchase your own copy of Tested and Approved by Tom Lane and check out the companion collection below!
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