Is there something that you are reaching for, trying hard to get, that would make you feel successful? A promotion at work? A partner? A college degree? A bigger house?

I want to encourage you that while nothing is intrinsically wrong with any of those things, not a single one of them signifies success in God’s kingdom. In fact, it’s often the people with the least concern for these things that we find most successful on God’s terms.  

While society defines success as having an education, a upward-moving career, a house, a spouse, etc. we find a very different assortment of expectations expressed in scriptures. A few come to mind that I would like to share with you, but I encourage you to find others – instances in scripture where God expresses the good results of life on God’s terms and the qualities needed to participate in God’s kingdom. To name a few:
-Thankfulness (1 Thessalonians 5)
-Justice, compassionate mercy & humility (Micah 6)
-Concern for the lonely and broken (James 1)
-Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness (Galatians 5)

Beloved, fellow kingdom dwellers and house of God builders – THESE are our benchmarks for success. These are the achievements we should strive for. These will endure not only in this life but in all that is to come! Patience and love and thankfulness and justice will endure when the college degrees, fancy cars, and powerful careers are long gone.  

And so I ask you again, are you successful? Do you know someone who is? Let’s encourage each other in these achievements, nurturing God’s work in each other. It’s a beautiful, glorious work and I think we are super blessed to see it unfold within our community!