Success Is...

Success.

Everybody wants it.

Some strive for quantity. Others strive for quality.

Bigger audiences. More ReTweets. A book deal. A lot of blog post comments...

{{ But }}

Success is neither a destination. Nor a state of being.

Success is overrated, oversold, and overworshipped.

It is a mean taskmaster. Seek it and you'll burnout. Lose out. Freak out.

The Truth?

Success.Is.God's.Alone.

In fact, God IS success. He's always right. Always timely. Always powerful. Always...

So stop looking for success. Stop striving for it. Stop hoping for it.

It's not yours to go after.reach.possess.

Mother Teresa once said, "I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness."

Are you faithful?

To your wife.kids.calling.

Then congratulations. For when you are faithful you are never closer to God.

And being close to God is a universe-sized better than mere success, right?

 

What does faithfulness look like to you?

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Comments

[Bill (cycleguy)]

Scott: thanks for this post. i spent way too many years chasing that elusive "success" dream. In my case, a larger church, and in a round about way, more money. I failed on both. I finally came to realize that what MT says is true: "God is not interested in my success; but He is interested in my faithfulness." I want to be found faithful to God, my wife, my grown children, to the church I pastor, to my cycling friends, to my friends in general.

[Jim F.]

I am with Bill on this. I chased success but it could never be caught by me but then I came to the realization that you talk about and that Mother Teresa says in the excellent quote. I am not called to be successful in the eyes of anyone but God. If I am success or faithful to him in my life by living out what His Word says and have Him the main focus on my life. Again I am with Bill when it comes to being faithful I want to be faithful to God as I mentioned, but also my wife, children, church, and friends.

Thanks for the Post!

[Scott Couchenour]

Thanks, gentlemen, for weighing in. Perhaps we should start redefining what it means to "chase success". If God = success, then what we really want is to chase God. Best way to chase God is with our faithfulness. Therefore, "chasing success" is not so destructive.

Just a thought.

[Bill (cycleguy)]

I'll go along with that idea Scott. Unfortunately, we will need to change a whole of people who have a whole different opinion on success. I will choose to chase God.

[Scott Couchenour]

Bill - If you and I start, we'd be 2 on the way to millions. Gotta start somewhere, huh?

[Bill (cycleguy)]

i accept that Scott. I may be able to use this idea in a sermon I plan to preach for our first Sunday in our new building. Success does not equal a new building. Success does not equal numbers. Success=pursuing God.

[Scott Couchenour]

That's cool, Bill. When is your first Sunday in the new building (so that I can be praying)?