The world tells us that being successful in life is all about fame, wealth and social status. It is all about how much money you’re making, how many ‘toys’ you have acquired and how much influence you have.

These are the world’s standards for success but I do not believe that they are the standards of the Kingdom. I think success runs much deeper than fame, wealth and social status. I think that success is being faithful to do the things that God has called you to do and to do them well.

In 1 John 2 verses 15 to 17 in The Message translation it says…

Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.

When we chase down the worlds view of success we are losing sight of the things and the person that really matters the most. The love of the world’s success squeezes out the love for the Father and puts distance between our hearts and His.

So what is it that the Father really wants from us to be successful in life?

I believe that He wants us to love well. To really love, care for and honour those people who are around us. He longs for us to be intimately connected with Him and to partner with His truth.

I believe that He wants us to be obedient to what He is saying. The Lord is always speaking and He is looking for people who are listening and who are willing to step out boldly and courageously and do what He is asking us to do. It is not the outcome that He is focused on but just the fact that we were obedient and trusted His voice.

I believe that He wants us to steward well what He has given to us. Be faithful with the things that He has given to us whether they are a little or a lot. With the money we are blessed with to use it wisely, give to the needy, and sow into the kingdom. With the spiritual gifts He has given us to grow them, develop them and use them. With the people in our life to love them, serve them and protect them. We need to be faithful with the things that He has given to us.

I believe that He wants us to be thankful. To cultivate a heart of thankfulness so that no matter what is happening in or around us we can still choose joy and be thankful for what we do have and what is happening.

I believe that He wants us to persevere and finish well. To not give up when things get tough but to lean closer into God and to see the trials before us as a chance to grow and build character.

I believe that He wants us to be present and live in the here and now so that we can receive the fullness of what He has planned for us in each moment. To be focused in on the vision for our life, being focused on the vision will give our process and pain a purpose.

We all long to be successful in life but we need to stop measuring our success by the worlds standards. I encourage you to redefine your view of success, ask God how He wants to change some of your thinking in this area so that you can be successful in the things He has called you to.