Focus Verse: Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
How do we measure success? Oftentimes I measure success based on how many things I can accomplish. If I finish all of my projects around the house on a Saturday then: “That was a successful day.” I manage to find all the groceries on my grocery list in one trip: “That was a successful trip to the store.” I try making a new chicken parmesan recipe that I saw online, but after a taste test I just end up taking a Taco Bell run: “ Well, that was extremely unsuccessful.” (Even though taking a trip to Taco Bell is always a five star experience!) For many of us the minute details of what success looks like may vary- such as, if we get that promotion at work. Or, if we can manage to get the kids bathed, clothed, in bed and sleeping by eight o’clock. Some might consider this a miracle and not just a success and to that I might have to agree. But even in the details I believe our culture as a whole has made us slaves to assosiating “success” with “achievement.” The world tries to tell us if you are not achieving enough, you are not successful enough. “So go out and try harder.” “Achieve greater things.”
Oftentimes my day to day interactions with the Lord are greatly affected by this world view. Whether or not the Lord looks down on me with favor -in my eyes- is often dependent on how successful I can be for His kingdom. So I ask myself more often than I should; “Have I completed my devotion today and did I successfully pull a valuable lesson from His Word?” “Did I successfully have a gospel conversation with someone today and did they come to know Christ?” These are not bad questions to be asking ourselves as Christians. But in the same exact way that the world equates “success” with “achievement” I often equate God’s love for me with my ability to achieve for His kingdom's sake. But this just isn’t right. God is not conditional and does not offer His love more freely to the highest achiever.
In scripture we see time and time again that the Lord offers His love to every walk of life and every tribe and tongue. But what He seems to value above all else is not individual achievements, but individual obedience. In 1 Samuel 13:13-15 we see Samuel referencing David as a “man after the Lord’s own heart.” This is the moment where God speaks through Samuel, showing the eventual transferal of kingship from Saul to David. In this moment the Lord is lifting David up not because of his success, but because of his obedience. David had not led Israel to many victories as Saul had. David had not been king over an entire nation for a number of years. But David was seeking the Lord and being obedient in a time where Saul was not.
God’s measure of success is not like the worlds. It’s not based on achievement. Heavenly success as defined by God is to seek His face wholeheartedly in OBEDIENCE. Which brings me back to Romans 12:1-2. “1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Though I often misplace God's desires for my life, recently He has been teaching me that His favor is in my obedience. My ability to put aside my desires, and present myself as a living sacrifice for His name sake in obedience is all God wants from me. He does not need my achievements or accolades. He needs my obedience. So as I conclude, my challenge to you is to present yourself as a living sacrifice in obedience to our Father. By doing so you will step far beyond the success of this world and step into the fullness of life that only He has to offer.
You are Loved.
Bryant Hart