GOT SUCCESS? Success means different things to different people. To some, success means making a lot of money, being in a powerful position, or being surrounded by pleasurable things. To me, success is living a peaceful life, harmonious with everything around me, having someone in my life to shower with my heart, leaving this world a better place because of my existence, waking up every day with a purpose.
WHAT IS SUCCESS TO YOU?
I want to share with you an ancient “strategy”, if I could use that word. I want to unlock one of God’s mysteries. I want to share my strategy for success that I see in the Scriptures.
This strategy centers on NOT being in control of my life.
This strategy involves NOT focusing on me
This strategy involves NOT trusting so much in myself–but trusting in God’s will for my life.
This strategy involves elevating others around me and diminishing myself
This strategy involves living each day as a new day. “Living in the present” while looking to a future time.
There is a lesson taken from a tired and weary group of fishermen who felt like failures until Jesus taught them a lesson. It was a lesson that sustained them the rest of their lives.
Luke 5:1-3 (TNIV)
1 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. 2 He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
Success comes from applying the revelation of the true way of living–the way to know Jesus–the way to live life of eternal quality. Success comes from putting our faith in Jesus, not just our own worldly actions. He can do more than we can ever even imagine. Accept the limitations of human efforts and plans. These fishermen did all they knew to do and still came up empty.
I saw it best said like this:
“Following Jesus does not always result in such immediate rewards. But whether the rewards are immediate or eternal, the course of action is clear: unquestioned obedience. What specific areas in your life do not match with God’s will? Acknowledge them, confess and repent of them, and ask Christ’s help in bringing them in line with his purposes. Give Jesus command of your boat. The rewards may surprise you.”
Luke 5:4-5 (TNIV)
4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
“The Lord always supersedes us. He superseded Peter in his command of the boat, which he had navigated since he was a lad. There is always a testing-point for the soul. Will you surrender the command and let Christ be captain? If so, in the teeth of great difficulties for fish are not caught generally in the glare of day he will fill your boat to the water’s edge. He does beyond all we asked or thought.” –F. B. Meyer