Are you successful? Or a complete failure? In my experience our emotions switch us backwards and forwards between the two - one moment we are on top of the world, the next one you sink into a feeling of hopeless resignation to the fact you will never amount to anything. We want success, we fear failure - yet we spend our lives trapped somewhere in the gap between.
What is the definition of success, or failure for that matter? What if to be successful is a mindset and not a possession?
Let me lay this out. We live in a world where the focus is a race to have a nicer place to live, a better job, greater influence, a great partner, a solid bank account, good people skills, more knowledge ...the list goes on. But every person who has ever reached this place of 'success' finds that it’s not enough - their goal didn't define success (or happiness). We will always want more physical possessions! Right now, you might be chasing a uni degree, a better marriage, a more defined skill set - all leading to a better future. But deep down you know this - life isn't all about a future that may never come. In fact, if to be successful means living 60 years in hell to live 10 years in success - I pass. I'd rather be unsuccessful. But deep down I think we all have this suspicion that it's not truly all about that - there's something more to the gap between.
So may I suggest this - perhaps success is mindset not a possession. Perhaps my goals are all wrong. If my life’s purpose is to bring glory to God, then every moment I can live in success. When I pause the movie to show my friend that they are important as we unpack their hurt - that is success. When I take the time to pick up my friend for coffee when they feel down - that is success. When I write an essay with a spirit of excellence, because I am to do everything as if doing it for God - that is success. When I get up early to work out, or pray, or read my Bible - that is success. When I get back up after falling right down - that is success. It’s about the mindset that my goal is bring glory to God.
And failure - I am not a failure, I simply have moments of failure that lead to opportunities to succeed. You got angry? There is an opportunity to succeed next time. You watched porn? That is an opportunity to succeed next time.
It's not all about how you feel. You feel like a failure? Let me suggest that to sink into those feeling may be easy, but that doesn't make them true. I could feel like a god - it doesn't make it true. So why do we assume that to feel like a failure makes it our reality?
So perhaps the gap between where I am and the success I crave is simply a change of perspective and mindset? Perhaps it is simply to recognise the reality of what life is all about and live to your potential. Set the right goals - I don't want my life to be defined by the house I live in. I want to set a goal to take the opportunities God gives me, of course. I want to create opportunities myself - but my reality as a success or a failure is found not in these things but in who I am. We don't ever read about Jesus house, about his degrees, about his wardrobe. The things that made Him successful was his love for others, His integrity in the face of persecution, His persistence in achieving His goals, despite what came against Him.
I want to be a successful child of God, not the world. For He has every joy and peace to offer that the world never could.
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