“A person is foolish to . . not have a rich relationship with God.” Luke 12:21 NLT
“Success with satisfaction comes from the quality and reality of your relationship with God.”
My thoughts today are about “success with satisfaction.”
Have you ever thought much about success, other than to want to have it? Too many people seem to want people to just think they are successful; do they think they will become successful if people think they are? Someone described such foolishness this way, “Buying stuff you don’t need with money you don’t have to impress people you don’t know, or maybe even like.”
People bankrupt themselves, mortgage their future, add immeasurable stress to life, and often destroying their marriage and family all for an illusion. How foolish to accumulate the “look of success,” expensive houses, luxury cars, extravagant fads and fashion, and lavish vacations. Trappings of wealth do not make you wealthy. In fact, that easily reduces a family or individual to some measure of poverty. Jesus asked a probing question, “Your soul shall be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?” Luke 12:20 NKJV.
Now wealth and success are not wrong. What you might do to gain that can be wrong; what the pursuit of that may cost you could be wrong. But here is what the Bible says about wealth and success, “It is God who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” Deuteronomy 8:18 NIV. He would not do that if He disapproves.
God directed Joshua what to do and told him God’s objective and promise of what He would do in response to Joshua’s obedience, “. . that you may be successful wherever you go . . then you will be prosperous and have good success . . for your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:6-8 NIV. Knowing God and knowing He is with you: priceless!
Here’s the challenge for you along the way to success; the Bible describes a person who gained great wealth, for himself and to his harm, this way, “A person is foolish to store up earthly wealth, but does not have a rich relationship with God.” Luke 12:21 NLT. See also Matthew 16:26 NLT. Success without thoughtful examination of its true Source, cause, and higher purpose will never have the added dimension of satisfaction, without which you will not be content however much wealth you acquire or success you achieve.
Success is not best measured by your balance sheet, net worth or possessions; those are just pretty baubles. Will you ever be satisfied with pretty baubles, or do you want a priceless relationship with God? Success with satisfaction comes from the quality and reality of your relationship with God. Success and wealth alone cannot truly satisfy the human heart. Success without God exposes the pain of vanity and the emptiness of one’s soul, when God is not recognized as the source of that success. See Matthew 11:28-30 NIV. The right relationship satisfies.
My prayer for you today is that you are most impressed with what holds eternal value.