True Success

The last two lessons (“Be Not Discouraged #1 and #2) were against the discouragement coming from an apparent lack of success. This invites the question of what success really is. The world has many ideas of success. The most obvious is money, but other measures include high profile jobs and what money can buy, like houses, automobiles, planes, boats, etc. Money can also attract a beautiful or handsome spouse. It allows one to be in the “cool crowd”. People also see fame as a sign of success, especially in sports or entertainment, or the social media.

People set goals for themselves which they think will show that they have “made it”, like being the homecoming king or queen, winning the sectional, getting a full ride scholarship, being drafted in the NFL or NBA, winning a Super Bowl ring, getting a million dollars by age 35, winning Olympic gold medals, election to public office, etc.

Some of these may be worthy temporary goals but if they are all a person is living for, they are seen to be unworthy as ultimate goals, because they are not ultimately satisfying. This is only realized once they are fulfilled, when the person thinks, “Okay, now what? Is this all there is?” Sadly most people just transfer their motivation to a new goal – a job as a sports analyst, 10 million dollars, a better house, better car, a different wife, more land, or just more stuff. The wise person sees that these are not the right goals at all.

What makes such goals unworthy?

People may eventually see that all these attainments will be lost. Even if they can maintain money, possessions or fame to the end of life, they still die, and thereby lose all. None of these things can be taken with us. They are only matters of this world, and so are by nature temporary. Material things are subject to loss, decay, theft, etc. Business success can be lost overnight due to theft, fire, technological or market changes, etc. Fame is fleeting. Sports ability and beauty are lost with age. Great accomplishments are forgotten, often quite quickly.

But beyond temporariness, the underlying motivation is wrong. 1 Jn. 2:16-17 – “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

This brings us to the basic philosophical question of the purpose of life. “Why am I here? Is there meaning to life? Is there any real point to living? How will I know when I have succeeded? What is success anyway?” It is questions like these that are answered by God in the Bible and through Christ.

We cannot know what true success is until we know what is a worthy goal, and we cannot know whether a goal is worthy unless we know the general purpose for our existence.

What is the Purpose of Life?

The first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism is “What is the chief end of man?”, and the answer is “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.” This is a good statement. It is apparent that we can not add anything of worth to God. All we can do is respond to his grace by believing on the Son and receiving life. From that point on, we can glorify God by abiding in Christ and allowing God to change us day by day and year by year into the image of Christ. He created man in his own spiritual image so that we can have mutual fellowship with him as Creator and Savior, and enjoy his favor and glory eternally.

What is a Worthy Goal?

Therefore, whatever true and right goals we have in this life must extend beyond this mortal existence. What good is a goal that ends at death?

Does this mean that other goals are wrong? No, but they must be seen as lesser, temporary goals that should somehow contribute to our ultimate goal. We have goals of marriage, child-bearing, a home, satisfying and productive occupations, and such material things as are required for general well-being and happiness. None of these goals are wrong as long as they are really seen as intermediate goals that should contribute to the ultimate and eternal goals of glorifying God and coming to enjoy his presence and beneficence more fully.

Will attainment of a goal bring glory to God? If not, it is an evil goal and unworthy of our time and attention. Can we hold this goal up to him without shame? How can we expect to enjoy his presence if we are spending our time pursuing something of which he disapproves?

What is Success?

True success can only come from the pursuit and attainment of a righteous goal. Success in a sinful or misguided endeavor is not really success. It is to succeed in displeasing God. Many people succeed in the wrong things, or for the wrong reasons.

While the primary purpose for all of us is the same (to glorify God and enjoy him forever), we are not all the same. God has given to each of us different personalities, inclinations, abilities and talents, environments, strengths and weaknesses, etc. He does not expect us all to have the same occupations or for our lives all to be the same. Therefore we must each seek God to know what our individual calling and purpose is. It would not be success for me to be in the wrong occupation, even if I was capable, effective, and prosperous in it. And as shown in the recent lesson “Be Not Discouraged #2”, a lack of “apparent” success does not necessarily mean we are failures or that we have missed our calling.

True success is

1.       To achieve the primary and eternal goal or purpose of man – to glorify God and to enjoy him for ever.

While this will be fully manifested only beyond the bounds of this life, we can experience it to a lesser extent in the here and now. The degree to which we enjoy this fellowship with God depends on his grace and our level of consecration and desire. The more we love and obey him, the greater awareness we will have of his glory and grace.

2.       To use our God-given gifts and abilities to function effectively in our individual calling. 

We should also succeed in the things of this life which God has specifically put before us, and this will vary from one person to another. Since God has given us all talents or abilities or resources, he obviously has a plan for us to use them for his purposes, not our own. Many people have been given musical talents, and desire to use them for the Lord, but get sidetracked by fame, fortune, and adoring crowds, and so their lives come to a bad and degraded end.

Col. 3:23 – “and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men, knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.”

1 Cor. 15:58 – “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”