What is 'Success' for You?
Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Saturday, 31 August 2013'I have glorified You on the earth...' John 17:4 NKJV
At the end of His life, Jesus was able to pray, 'I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.' Jesus didn't try to compete with John the Baptist or model Himself after some Old Testament prophet. He knew what 'success' was for Him. To know what it is for you, you must:
(1) Discern what success really is. When others feel good about you, you're popular; but when you feel good about yourself, you're successful. Your life's highest calling will always create the highest level of joy within you. (2) Before you set goals, pray. 'In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.' (Proverbs 3:6 NKJV) It's not wrong to set goals, it's just wrong to set them without first consulting God. (3) Stop expecting others to bring you success. Don't wait for flowers to arrive. God gave you seed; start growing some of your own. 'Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won't need to compare yourself to anyone else.' (Galatians 6:4 NLT) And besides, when you're less needy you'll become more attractive to others. (4) Get over yourself - everyone else has. A minister said he was praying one day, 'Father, why does the devil keep reminding me of my past?' God replied, 'Because he's running low on material!' Repent, and then move on. God says He will '...not remember your sins.' (Isaiah 43:25 NKJV) There's only one good reason to bring up the past, and that's to learn from it and grow wiser.
Josh 1-4, Luke 19:1-10, Ps 84, Pr 22:24-26
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I receive Word of the day emails everyday, but this one stood out to me. I will admit, lately I haven't been reading all the daily word emails that I receive. I can't blame any one thing in particular on the reasons that I haven't been reading them everyday because there have been several, but TODAY was the DAY!!!
I was sitting at my laptop, working on some other things and in my email I came across the message above. It made me think...what is success for me. I know the things that I say I want, but am I really doing all that I can to make those things happen for me.
My answer in some cases was yes and in others no, but the biggest question was...Am I seeking God first when I am making these plans. Now don't get me wrong, I talk to God all the time, but am I asking for his guidance? Am I seeking his advice? Did I ask him was this a part of his plan for my life? Did I ask that his will be done? IN ALL HONESTY...I don't...sometime I "tell" God what I have made for myself and I haven't consulted him or asked for his opinion.
WOW...that made me wonder, is that the reason that I feel some unrest in certain areas. Maybe so...I now realize, that we can plan anything that we want, but we must do the leg work and seek his opinion. God must be included in all decisions.
It is funny how we can think we are including him in the plans and actually not include his opinion. Me, I will be working hard at asking and waiting for a response. I guess I need to slow down, and take a few moments to smell the flowers so I can hear from God.
Just my .08 cents for the day!
Ms. Cocoa Butterfly
