Is Success Expected?

In the world thought process...YES! In our friends and family's thought process...Often Yes! In our own minds...usually Yes! 

The world, loved ones and our own selves want us to be successful in life. We want to be financially successful, marriage successful, child rearing successful, employment successful, and even in our hobbies we want to feel successful. 

Success is measured in different ways by different people. We put ourselves under tremendous pressure by expecting success (really this is often defined or measured as perfection) from our endeavors. We compare ourselves to what others have accomplished. We can become envious and then depressed because we have not done as well as someone else we know or see around us.

I have no problem with setting goals through careful and prayerful thought and trying to attain them. However, we cannot be so goal focused that we overlook the here and now of every situation. 

I think old Albert may be on the right track in this quote. A person can become so focused on attaining what they feel is success and never really contribute to those around them. If you have not been of value to your spouse, children, parents, community, state or country, have you really been successful at all? If a person is successful at climbing the corporate ladder and/or building a large business but never invested time in his family, he has not contributed to helping build a life and relationship with his wife or children. This can go for the wife who is in the business world also. I could give many more examples or scenarios but I think you get the picture. 

Does God expect success from us? When I think of what the Bible says, I'm convinced not! Even if success comes in some way, shape or form--it is not us who was successful. It was God who blessed and allowed it!!!

God expects faithfulness. He expects obedience. You know when Joshua lead the Israelites across the Jordan into the Promised Land and they took Jericho. Success came strictly because they followed God's instruction to the letter. A short time later when they went to the little town of Ai, they were defeated because they were not obedient to what God said. 

I am reminded of a devotion I read years ago about a man who was told by God that he had work for him to do and to go outside his cabin and push against the large rock. The man did as he was told for several days but try as he might, he could not move the rock. Still he was obedient each day but began to grow weary in the fact that he could not move the rock one inch. After awhile, the devil began to say to the man that he should give up and that it was no use because he would never be successful at moving the rock. Finally, the man became defeated and discouraged in his own mind and cried out to God that he didn't understand why God had told him to push against the rock because he had not been able to move it. God responded, "I never told you to move the rock. I told you there was work to be done and to push against the rock. You were obedient and faithful all this time. Now your hands are callused, your arm and leg muscles are firmer and stronger because you did as you were told. I will now move the rock for you!" 

God doesn't call us to be successful. He calls us to be faithful and obedient! That's what He expects! When you feel like a failure. When you feel irrelevant in the job you are trying to do. Just remember that you are expected to be faithful and obedient. God may or may not allow you to be successful but you WILL earn rewards in heaven for being faithful in the work He has for you. Hope this helps encourage someone today!