Well I've been thinking about this for some time now and it really is an important issue to think about. Thanks to those who responded to the last small one on
I think Nickers has some extra good stuff and I reckon we could call it subject closed but i'd like to take it a bit further coz it's my blog and I can :) Success was a huge theme that came out of the latest Timbercrete conference and it was sooo good to hear about success from a Godly point of view.
The cliche` 'Christian' view of success is probably something like, success is found in God and not man. Now I'm not saying this isn't true coz it is, but how many Christian's say (or think in their head) God is their success, yet continue to find true success in other area's of this life on earth.
It's important at this time to recognise the fact that I think we as people still need to do our best on this earth in whatever God places in our path, but to say that we are a failure because we didn't meet a deadline, broke something, cost someone lots of many, didn't get a job, didn't finish study or don't have much money etc etc, I believe is a down right lie that needs to be rejected. To also say that someone or a business is a success for making or having all those things I just listed, is also a lie but it is the benchmark that everyone on this earth rates themselves with.
Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 clearly states that the wisdom of God is different than people's wisdom. We weigh everything in something tangible, something we can see, feel or touch, God doesn't. Because of this, true success, I beleive, is not found in what I can see, touch, feel, hear etc It's what I have faith in, what I believe God says is true success. The closest example of God I know is Jesus. In Matthews writings about Jesus He said don't worry about anything else just seek God first and everything you need will all fall into place. Does that mean if I put God first my business will go banana's and I won't have to worry again about finances!??? er . . nup, coz in the last book of the bible in the letters to the seven churches, Jesus says to them something like if you be obedient, listen to me . . you'll . . . sit with me on my throne . . . have my name inscribed on them . . . not be hurt by the second death. The reward is in the kingdom, it's eternal, it's spiritual not necessarily earthly.
So, here's what I reckon. God say's your a success and loves you simply because He made you with His very own hands, not because you do anything (Eph 2:8). If we can then understand that success is in that belief and follow God's path, and not people's measure of success, then our reward is far beyond anything this world will ever offer, the reward is eternal. This is so comforting to me. I get bombarded with people asking me all the time how business is going, sometimes it's because people care, sometimes it's just something to talk about but I know others are probably measuring me to see if I'm a success or not. I feel when people ask this, that if business isn't going great, I am a failure to them. Thankfully, through the eye's of Jesus I'm not. My prayer is that as business picks up I don't fall into the trap myself of thinking I'm successful just because business is going good, you know what I mean?
I was reading the first chapter Mark the other night and saw this spot in verse 37 where Jesus' friends were hastling Him to go to the people but Jesus was foccused and wasn't going to just please people and he stated that we have to move on fella's there other places I have to go as well. His focus was on His Father's plans not the plans of others.
If anyone has ever seen Jerry Macguire there's a dude at the end, I can't remember his name, and he says 'I love my life and I love my wife, I wish you my kind of success'. Jesus says; love God and love the people around you.
I wish you His kind of success for 2007 and beyond.
3 comments:
Awesome bro,
Thanks heaps
God bless you all as you focus on Him
Its interesting to put thought into success of the individual and success of the individual's business.
When my own business was going through some lean times. I could often get heavy on myself and think that I am not being successful.
What I have been finding though, is that God has been teaching me great things though failure. I believe if my business was at least monetry successful from day one. I would have missed so many lessons and may not be devoting my business and its success on my faith in God.
As you said, our "eternal success" provides such comfort. Thus I do not have to be affraid of earthly failure. And can look to them as a learning experience.
Yeh, I think one of the things we often think when God plants a vision in our mind for something, is that success is found in the end result. When possibly God plants the vision more for the process. Our minds, or mine at least, is more focussed on the finished work than what I will learn on the way. Again God's wisdom vs ours, we want results, God wants growth.
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