Success in God's Eyesಮಾದರಿ

Introduction

Everyone wants to be successful. No one wakes up in the morning and says, "Today, I want to be a failure."

We all resonate with Paul's words:

"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win the prize" (1 Corinthians 9:24).

We all want to win, but sometimes it's unclear what constitutes a win. Over the years, I have found that although everyone wants to be successful, many of us do not have a clear definition of success. Because success is so important to us, we should know the best way to measure it.

So, how do you define success?

What are the measures that you use to know if you are leading a successful life?

It is common to hear people talk about success in the workplace. Someone might say, "You know Brian over there? He's a really successful guy." What do they mean by saying that he is successful? Usually, that just means that he makes a lot of money. Similarly, in the world of athletics, the same comment means that Brian scores a lot of points and wins a lot of games. In academics, it means that he makes straight A's and gets the degree. There is nothing wrong with making a lot of money, leading your team to victory, or getting the highest percentage in the class, but we have all experienced enough of life to know that those are not the true measures of success.

The world defines success by numbers, but God does not.

God measures success differently than the world does, and as God's people, we should as well. We need a new target and a new yardstick, one that measures according to the Spirit, not the flesh.

So, the real question is this: How can you know if your life will be a success in God's Eyes?

The good news is that God does not want you to be confused about success. His Word, the Bible, gives us clear measures of success in life. I believe that there are four measures of success spelled out in God's Word. I call these The 4 F's of Success.

We are truly successful in life when we are Faithful, Fruitful, Fulfilled, and, as a result, make God Famous.

Over the next few days, we will explore these Four Fs, which sum up God's definition of a successful life.

Questions for reflection:

1. Who do you consider to be the most successful people you know personally? What makes them a success?
2. What about the Life of Jesus made Him a success?