Success.
I looked it up on google and it has three definitions; 1 the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. 2 the attainment of popularity or profit. And/or 3 a person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity.
I also looked it up in my KJV concordance.. And there was no references for success. But there were plenty for ‘strength’, ‘strive’, ‘suffer’ and ‘strong’.
Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Psalm 37:4-5 tells us to, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.”
Just thinking out loud here about my perception of success.. When shooting for that second definition of success (the attainment of popularity or profit), it is all about ME and how well liked I am (on and offline). How can I present MYSELF in the best light, with the right filter, so people admire, relate, follow and share things about ME. How can I be unique and different. How can I stand out among the millions of wanna-be super stars.
What about the first definition. It is going to be determined on a specific goal. Goal achieved = success. But I need to reevaluate my goals to make sure it isn’t actually hidden behind that goal to attain popularity. It is so easy in this culture to get caught up in the justification of a ‘self-love’ mindset that goes beyond ‘filling your cup to be poured out’, but into a narcissistic cycle of ‘me time’ and ‘what’s best for me’ and ‘my truth’.
But what if it was our struggles that made us stronger? What if the lack of shares and likes and follows was God showing us we are nothing in and of ourselves? What if our goals were skewed, and the reason we feel unsuccessful is because we are not aiming at the right target?
A psalmist wrote, “Search me O God, and know my heart, try me and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
When I “delight myself in the Lord”, when I focus on Him above “ME”, His ways become my aim. His will becomes my goal. When I’m in His will, I will be successful. No matter how many followers I have. No matter how many rungs on that career ladder I climb. No matter how many societal expectations I achieve, or don’t. My aim is Heaven, and being in His presence and telling as many people about him as I can while I’m here.
