The Success of JosephSample

The Success of Joseph

I know this statement goes against everything you've heard about being successful, but success is not our life's goal.

When we look at Joseph's story, we see that success wasn't his primary aim, as it often is for most people today.

Joseph's greatest aspiration was righteousness. He spoke of God in everything he did, remaining faithful even among wicked people.

Our life's goal is salvation and to do God's will (Proverbs 19:21).

Life with God happens like this: we strive to do our best with integrity, and when we least expect it, we look back and see all the wonders God has done in our lives. Joseph didn't focus on becoming governor of Egypt; he focused on doing God's will. Success today may be defined as being the CEO of a company, but true success is not temporary.

Instead of fixating on the pit, Joseph chose to focus on God's purpose. It's challenging to grasp that sometimes a pit or a prison can actually be part of a success story.

Joseph was certain that God had sent him. He was sure of Go's plan for his life. He could have blamed his brothers, but instead, he chose to look at what the Lord had done.

If you end your life knowing you have fulfilled God's will, then you can say that you have been a successful man or woman.

The truth is, our success story is always under construction. God has plans for your life. You may not understand how they will unfold, or the details may seem unclear. Feeling a bit lost? Keep your hope alive.

Let God direct your life from today onward, every step of the way. Tell God that you want to be His greatest success story. Tell Him that you want to truly live out what He has for you, even if you end up like Joseph, as governor of Egypt, or like Paul, being beheaded. In fact, Paul was a great success story—one of the greatest (2 Timothy 4:1-8).

Understand that God is with you, and there is nothing more precious than His presence. That is true success.