Success—God’s Way Or Your Way?

Sometimes God has to allow us to nearly lose everything to show us how much we need HIM in order to accomplish ANY measure of TRUE success. This is what happened to me about six months ago. As I felt stripped to the core, I kept asking God—what’s the point of all the time, money, education, stress, work, blood, sweat and tears—I’d expended? Is success meant to be so fragile that it can all be swept away overnight? Well, God had my attention. I didn’t know it at the time but—He was doing me a huge favor. It was time to ask myself an all important question: 

What is true success, anyway???

Is it a successful law practice, great wealth, endless romance, a strong family, a powerful position, and a long retirement with lots of toys?

Unfortunately, even many born again folks—like me—have been deceived into believing that our highest form of success is in attaining more of the things that we can’t take with us when we die. Every human—perhaps especially those who seem extremely successful by the world’s standards—struggles to comprehend God’s path of prosperity. God’s success produces the rewards we take with us into eternity.

Do you wonder what it looks like? 

King David gave us a big clue. On his deathbed, he told his son, Solomon the secret:

“Keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in His ways and keeping His statutes, His commandments, His rules, and His testimonies…that you may PROSPER in all that you do and wherever you turn.” 

1 Kings 2:3

David wasn’t just talking about having more gold. Solomon listened to his father. After he became king, the Bible recounts how he loved God with all his heart and followed His commandments. So God appeared to Solomon in a dream and asked: 

“What shall I give you?”

1 Kings 3:5

Now, can you imagine the God of the universe asking to grant your greatest wish? What would you ask for? But, Solomon, who loved God, replied humbly:

“You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil…” 

1 Kings 3:6-7, 9a

God was so pleased with such a humble request!  And so He said:

“Because you have asked this, and have NOT asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for understanding to discern what is right, I now do according to your word. I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that NONE like you has been before you and NONE like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” 

1 Kings 3:11-14

This is such a compelling example of how God grants success. 

When we desire God more than we desire the things of this world; when we love Him and live in loving obedience to Him then—we follow the command of Jesus and “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” and we discover all the lesser things are added…” (Matthew 6:33) 

You see, no one understands success like God; after all, He gives us the life from which to experience it! Just as King Solomon had a specific purpose, we are EACH given a unique and wonderful purpose to live for God’s glory. But, God’s purpose is only accomplished in God’s way. We desire GOD’s way when the pleasure of His presence is our most compelling experience. In 1924, champion Olympic runner, Eric Liddell, made this remarkable statement:

“[God] made me fast, and when I run, I feel his pleasure. To give it up would be to hold him in contempt…To win is to honor Him.”

When every part of our life is dedicated to glorifying God—we experience the extraordinary pleasure of His presence. His presence becomes our greatest delight. In His presence we watch Him produce eternal success and we discover it has little to do with us and everything to do with Him. 

Glorifying GOD enables us to experience eternal success!