A Three-Part Discussion regarding God’s Definition of Success and His Call to Each of Us
- Part 1: How does God define success?
- Part 2: What does God’s definition of success look like in our personal calling?
- Part 3: How do we keep focused on God’s definition of success day in and day out, challenge after challenge, success after success?
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…
Deuteronomy 10:12
Deuteronomy is a series of sermons by Moses to the Israelites before entering the Promised Land. This verse is from the second of three.
God’s definition of success begins with fear of Him.
This fear of God is not about terror or panic. This fear is about a deep reverence and awe for God.
When I visited the Museum of Modern Art in NYC, I got to see Monet’s “Water Lilies.” The painting is in three panels and takes up an entire wall, a very large wall. It’s a painting that draws you close and then finds you stepping back. No matter where you stand, there is more to see, more to appreciate, a different aspect to behold, a different dimension to experience.
God’s awesomeness does the same for us. Our reverence for Him pulls us close. We want to see more clearly. And then we’re stepping back. We want to see the bigger picture. No matter where we stand, there is always more to see, more to experience, more to know. It’s an awesomeness that finds us glorifying God and trusting Him wholeheartedly. It’s an awesomeness that finds us submitting to Him in humility and faith, serving Him in love. It’s an awesomeness in which nothing is more important. Nothing.
God’s definition of success includes obedience to Him, walking in all His ways.
God tells us His way in the Ten Commandments. He loved us/loves us so much that He gave us rules for right living. We do the same with our kids, our employees. We want those we love and care about to become the best they can be. Not only do God’s commandments help us be the best we can be, but they outline for us how to honor and serve God and each other.
God’s law sets us apart. God’s law shows us who He is. They tell us what’s important to God. They show us what success is all about.
When our kids objected to household rules, we often reminded them, “We’re not like other families”? When you’re getting acquainted with a new company, a new group, a new organization, perhaps you’ve heard, “Here’s what makes us different…”?
God’s law makes us different. God’s law blesses us. God’s law helps us find success.
God’s definition of success includes our love for Him.
God comes first.
Before we married, we met with our pastor for pre-marital counseling. After weeks together, the one thing I remember is his encouragement to do something loving and kind, something unexpected and unplanned for the other person every day. Love meant finding ways to put the other person first—every day. To that I’ve added honor and respect. My love for Kurt means that I will do everything I can to honor and respect him and our relationship.
God’s love invites us to do the same. Our love for Him finds ways to put Him first—every day in every way. It also means doing everything we can to honor and respect Him and our relationship with Him.
We find success serving God with all our hearts and all our souls.
God has given us the power and privilege to decide how we will serve Him. We get to take our talents, our gifts, our time, and our treasures and use them for God’s glory. And it’s not a “have to” but a “get to.” It’s a tall order, and in this day of coffee drinks, it’s a venti order, a path on which we can stumble and fall—again and again and again.
But we’re empowered by God’s Spirit. We have His Holy Spirit to lead us, to empower us, to get us back on track when necessary.
What does the Lord our God ask of us but to fear the Lord our God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, and to serve Him with all our heart and with all our soul.
That’s success!
Deanna Nowadnick is the author of Fruit of My Spirit, Signs in Life, and Bouquet of Wisdom along with a children’s book, “Grandma, You Found Me!”
