Thursday, June 13, 2013

day 13: define success.


[define success]

Well alrighty then. This is going to be another one of those "I'm wondering about this same as you are, so please don't take my word for it" blog posts :) So coming at it from THAT angle... 

I don't have a solid, concrete idea about what I think success is. I don't think it's what the world seems to define it to be: I don't think success is about the number of zeroes in your salary, the size of the tag on the pants your wife wears, the obedience of your kids, and I also don't think success is confined to one specific compartment of life. I know plenty of people who are "successful" in the work force, and awful at letting their spouse know they love them....and I know people who are wonderful at thriving within relationship, and awful at following through on deadlines :) So all that to say, if I had to sum up what success means to me personally (and you know God is going to be thrown in the middle there somewhere) I'd have to say: 

Success is accomplishing the goals set before you, remaining content with where you are called to be, and being willing to meet higher standards and rise to greater tasks if you are asked to do so. 

Someone once told me that the good news of the grace of God is that He accepts you where you are, but loves you far too much to leave you there. I think a certain measure of success can be found in this truth :) I believe a huge part of success if learning how to be content. The apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:11, "...I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content." If the driving force behind your search for success is simply to climb the ladder as high as you can to the best of your ability until you beat out the rest in the rat race to the top, you are chasing an unfulfilling dream. No only is there almost always higher to climb, there is always someone who can do your job better than you can, chasing the same dream, two steps behind you. 

The world preaches that success is moving into the biggest office, making the most money, and having the family that best fits the world's definition of "perfect".

Offices are cold, lonely, and empty.

Money does not buy happiness.

Children who are taught that their actions and appearances are valued more than their hearts and souls will grow up cold, searching, and unbelievably broken.

If however, your dreams of success consist of fulfilling the calling to which you have been called by completing the tasks set before you in the strength you have been given, and relying on that same given strength to reach higher tasks and harder accomplishments as they are given, to the ultimate glorification of the Savior who gives you the strength to do it....I think that is success indeed :) 


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