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HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?
Have you truly sat down and thought about what success means to you? Like really thought about it? Or is your definition of success based off what you grew up watching in the movies, heard in music, or from reading magazines with celebrities, movie stars, professional athletes, etc.? Or maybe it's defined by what your parents said it was or a wealthy person you knew of?
We all come from different backgrounds with a variety of upbringings. Everyone's personal view of success is probably slightly different. If you grew up like I did watching MTV cribs or reading celebrity magazines, then you might view success as having a lot of money, cars, living in a mansion, traveling all over the world, like I did. I thought being successful meant being a multi-millionaire with the time to do what I wanted when I wanted. When we joined a network marketing company 10 years ago that we used to be a part of, we learned from our mentors that being successful meant having time and money. I heard success stories of people and met them that went from having nothing to become multi-millionaires with large businesses. I started reading self-development books, attending business conferences, and imagined what our lives were going to look like when my husband I would become multi-millionaires. Now there's nothing wrong with dreaming big. In fact, I encourage it! Without a vision, people perish (Proverbs 29:18). Without a dream in mind, you aren't going anywhere. I don't know about you, but I definitely don't want to be in the same place next year at this time. I want to be moving forward in my character, skillsets, and in what God has called me to. However, I do believe my heart motive wasn't pure at the time even though I didn't realize it. I genuine did want to please God and do what He called me to. But at that time my focus was on the money and what it could do for us because Anthony and I were struggling financially. That is why we joined the network marketing company in the first place. We had a 2 yr. old and a 2-month-old at the time and were living paycheck to paycheck.
This pic was taken on Easter 2013. Picture Left to Right: Anthony, Emery (2 mo old), Isabella (2 yr old), & Brit (Me)
Since the Lord asked us to lay down our network marketing business almost 2 years ago, I've been on this journey of seeking the Lord even deeper. Now that I wasn't a part of that business, what was success going to look like now? What does our future look like? These were the questions I wrestled with. I whole-heartedly believed God gave me a vision of succeeding big in that business and now He asked me to walk away. What happened? It was a rough time in 2022 but deep down I had peace the whole time knowing that I was obeying the Lord. Then light broke through and God began to tell me to dream again. I still didn't have answers as to why things happened the way they did but I trusted the Lord and was doing my best to obey His leading.
OBEDIENCE IS SUCCESS
A few months ago, as I was sitting with that question again. What does success mean to me and my family? What does it look like? I heard in my spirit, "Obedience is success". I thought that was rather interesting. I hadn't thought of that before, so I knew it was the Lord. I had a knowing inside that just because something doesn't work out the way we thought or had hoped when God gave the vision or dream in the first place, as long as we were being obedient to what He asked of us then we succeeded. God completely shifted my perspective in a moment. All the previous striving I did and not feeling like I measured up in life because I was past 30, married with 4 kids and felt like we didn't have the wealth we thought we'd have by then or the big house, land, and big businesses that I just knew we would have. All the times I shared what I felt the Lord showed me and it didn't come to pass yet so I looked like a failure. I thought I wasn't successful. God said I was. Did I obey Him to the best of my abilities? Yes. Then I am successful. And the times I didn't obey, well there's grace for that praise the Lord! He will work it all out for my good. The same goes for you! So what if you aren't as far along as you think in life! You most likely are further along than you think. God can redeem your time as if you never missed it! He's such a good Father and nothing is impossible with Him!
YOU ARE A SUCCESS WHEN YOU ARE OBEYING
I said all this to share that if you are listening to the best of your ability to the Lord and obeying His promptings, then you my friend are successful. You may not have some of the things that others have yet. You may not be a multi-millionaire yet or live in a mansion or have a wildly successful business yet. (All those things are possible. If that's a dream in your heart that won't go away and you keep Jesus first, then keep standing on His promises; they will come to pass!). That doesn't mean you aren't successful. I just feel like the Lord wants you to know, the person reading this, that you are right where you are supposed to be at this time in your life. Everything you've gone through has been preparing you to handle the more and bigger that God is bringing into your life. You are a success when you are obeying the Lord and doing what He's asking you to do. Don't let the world define what success means to you. Sit with the Lord today. Get a piece of paper, pen/pencil, your Bible, and allow Him to speak to you and show you what success looks like in your life. Also, if you don't have a clear vision of what you want your life to look like. Sit with Him and begin dreaming big. Allow the Lord to speak to you and show you what His plan is for your life.
Scriptures to start meditating on then you can ask Holy Spirit to show you more:
Joshua 1:9 (AMPC)- "This Book of the Law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success."
Deuteronomy 28:1 (AMPC) - "If you will listen diligently to the voice of the Lord your God, being watchful to do all His commandments which I command you this day, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
Questions to ask Holy Spirit & journal His answers:
Holy Spirit, what does success mean?
What does success look like in my life?
Can you give me scriptures that renew my mind to how you define success?
Lord, what is your plan for my life?
What are the desires of your heart for me and my family?
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