success
 by Radhika Cruz

The Secret to Success and Abundant Living.

If you would’ve asked me 15 years ago what the secret is to success in life, I would’ve said something like hard work, determination, persistence, discipline, flexibility, optimism, and risk-taking. But now that I have lived a little longer and grown a bit wiser (I hope), I would now answer that question very differently.

 

High Achievers and Goal-Getters

When we think of how to be successful in life, I can guarantee many of us will tend to think in terms of our initiative, efforts or hustle. When you look up success in the dictionary, it says “a person or thing that achieves desired aims or attains prosperity.”

 

For high driven achievers and goal-getters like me, it’s easy to depend on my own efforts, talents, and strengths to achieve what the world would define as success. And although faith without action is wishful thinking or dreaming, there comes a time when we must understand how success is defined by God’s standards.

 

According to our culture–success is when you have achieved a prominent or esteemed position of power, abundant possessions, material treasures and wealth, notoriety, global popularity, prestige, influence, accolades, applause, and adoration from the ‘masses’. From this standpoint, success is about individual initiative, self-sufficiency, and storing up treasure and appearances here on earth. But this ‘striving’ to get— to achieve success isn’t how God works. Check out this passage of scripture in Matthew 6:29-32.

Relax and Respond to God

“What I’m trying to do here is get you to relax, not be so preoccupied with getting so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep yourself in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Don’t be afraid of missing out. You’re my dearest friends! The Father wants to give you the very kingdom itself.

Success Factors 3 & 4: God-Initiative and God-Provision

When I read this passage of scripture, I see God-initiative as the secret to our success — not self-initiative. I see God’s sets good things into motion on our behalf and all we need to do is simply respond to what He gives us. When we believe success and abundance is found in our own efforts, initiative, and performance or in our possessions, professional positions, and popularity— we can find ourselves gaining the whole world but losing our souls (Mk.8:36).

When we can learn to embrace what God wants to give us in His perfect timing, we won’t be so preoccupied with getting that spouse, promotion, job, car, house or fame, wealth, prominence, popularity or influence that the world defines as success. As people of faith, we know God works supernaturally. Beyond what we could ever think or imagine. For us it may be impossible, but with Him-ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. God knows what we need, when need it, despite what we think, feel or don’t see. His ways are so much higher than our ways and His thoughts are so much higher than our thoughts (Is. 55:8). We can not possibly know all the great things God has in store for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9).

 

Success=Surrender

The best way I can summarize the heart of this post can be found in Mt. 6:33 where we are told to seek God’s kingdom above all else and live righteously and He will give us everything we need. So you see. The true secret to success is seeking God and His kingdom FIRST– above our desires, needs, dreams, hopes, longings, goals, plans and aspirations.

 

A successful life is a surrendered life–a life fully surrendered to God’s-initiative, God’s perspective,God’s reality, and God’s provision. Will you trust him to fulfill His good, pleasing and perfect plan for your life? Will you embrace what He’s trying to give you? Stop seeking your own desires. And stop trying to make things happen in your life and allow God to make them happen for you. He loves you and wants to gift all these good things to you (Mt.7:11). But He must come first.

 

God knows the plans He has for you and they are to prosper you and not harm you, to give you hope and a future (Jer 29:11). The God of heaven has already anointed and appointed you for His purposes and will give you success (Neh. 2:20). God directs the steps of the godly and He delights in every detail of your life (Ps. 37:23). He will guide you and advise you along the best pathway for your life. God will watch over you (Ps.32:8) and arm you with strength, making your way perfect (Ps.18:32). Don’t listen to the world’s instruction for success. Follow God’s instruction for success. Because those who place their hope and trust in Him will never be disappointed (Is.49:23). Seeking His kingdom first is the true pathway to success.

 

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