"It is not what I do that matters, but what a sovereign God chooses to do through me. God does not want worldly successes, He wants me. He wants my heart in submission to Him. Life is not just a few years to spend on self indulgence and career advancement. It is a privilege, a responsibility, a stewardship to be lived according to a much higher calling, God's calling. This alone gives true meaning to life." Elizabeth DoleWhen I read this quote it speaks to what success really is, and what is it? A life filled with Christ, serving Him above all others. God doesn't want me to go off and try to find my own success in this world, its about showing this world we can find success through Him.
I wasted so much time in my younger years thinking it was the time of my life, but wherever you are today is the time of your life. Time is what we make it to be. I don't want to look at my life and see that I had a good old time serving my self, but knowing I had an awesome time serving the God who gave His precious life for me.
Each day is a privilege, and we so forget that don't we? We tend to take each day for granite that there will be one to follow, and when there isn't we find ourselves wishing for what? More time. As I get older I realize its not how much time we have here on this earth, its what we do with that time. I could live ninety years, healthy, wealthy and wise, but if I live that time without the Lord is it really living? No, for me it isn't. Life should be a reflection of the Lord.
Too many times we stand and say, "It's my life, I can do with it what I want!" Our life, our life was bought with a price, the blood of Christ, and to live any other way, but in Him is a wasted gift of life.
How do you define success? Climbing up the ladder? Having that big home in the country? Being able to say, "I have" is not success. Being able to say, "I will", is the beginning of success. When God calls us, when He reaches out to us to serve Him, saying, "I will", is only adding to the beauty of life. It is in that service, no matter what or where it is, that we will find pure joy.
We spend our lives searching for happiness. We spend our lives trying to find ourselves. If we just stop for one moment and think of who gives us all the joy around us, and where all the good comes from, how can we deny God and His presence in our lives? It's when we find Him that we earnestly find ourselves. It is in Him that life is even possible. And in Him all things are possible.
Looking for meaning in your life? I know I sure have, and I have found it in Christ and Him alone. He gives me purpose. He has a plan for my life, and to follow that plan will only bring success. I don't worldly success. This world is not my home, and the things of this world have no lasting meaning. I want success that lasts through heaven. I want the success in my life to point to Christ, for if it doesn't, it's not success at all.
May you find yourself in Him today. May you search Him for your life's purpose, and when you search Him, wow, you will find so much more than you ever knew existed! There is nothing like humbling ourselves before God, reaching out to Him as He reaches out to us, filling us with purpose and direction, giving us a calling. What an honor for us to be called by God to move on His behalf. What an honor to be used of God to bring glory to Him. There is no greater gift than to serve the God who gave all for us, and just think, He gave all so we could not only have today, but tomorrow with Him.
