Do you want a successful life? If you answered yes, then marinate on this—pursue developing your character, then success will pursue you.
We live in a culture that is insanely driven by hype, immediate gratification and external success. Or said another way, our culture is high on success and achievement, but low on character.
What good is success and achievement if you have no character? This is joyless, empty life.
When you place a higher value on pursuing “success” instead of developing your character, you’ll likely create an emotionally unhealthy, toxic path of destruction that will hurt you and the people your life influences.
Always pursue character first!
Defining Success
Sadly, in our culture, even among pastors, success is defined by achievement, job title, money, the car you drive, the clothes you wear and even the amount of followers you have on Twitter.
On the surface, nothing seems particularly misleading about this definition of success. It’s just NOT a good definition of success. A person can have all these external signs of success and be a donkey butt.
What Is a Good Definition of Success?
A good definition of success is to be a person of deep, Christ-like character. The Apostle Paul describes the character of a successful person in this way:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:22 ESV
Can you imagine living with and working with a “successful person” who conveys these characteristics?
Who wouldn’t want to hire a competent, successful person like this?
This is the kind of person you want to be around.
This is the kind of person that will work like crazy to develop the skills to be competent in their job because their internal integrity will call them to be the best they can be.
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3:23 ESV
In my own experience, I’ve found that the more I abide in Christ and the more I grow into His image, the more amazing opportunities seems to pursue me.
According to God’s providence, I believe the same will happen to you.
Pursue a Christ-like character and God’s meaning of success will pursue you.
Marinate on that.
