What is a successful life? It’s a question that’s been on my mind a lot lately. I guess you could say I’m definitely in the throws of midlife as I’ve been doing lots of reflecting in my personal devotional time recently.
My thoughts have been questioning if my life or parts of it have been successful? And what can I do to make the years I have left a success?
There are things I’ve done that I’m proud of and things I’ve done that I definitely regret. And I’ve most certainly felt a little lost at times in this stage of life on my next steps forward.
Ways I try to measure my life and success by are often my own expectations, other people’s expectations, or even society’s expectations. However, that’s probably not the best way to measure it! I can be extremely hard on myself at times, and other people can be cruel. Plus, Paul reminds us in Galatians 1 that we are not trying to win the approval of other people. Instead, we should be focused on pleasing God.
So, what does a successful life truly look like?
Neither I nor anyone here on earth will have all the answers. Yet, it struck me recently that a successful life can come in many different ways with each having one key important thing in common. The most important thing any of us can do to find success here on earth is to have a relationship with God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit once we’ve accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts.
Someone who has achieved great financial success in life is only truly successful if they’ve also met and received Jesus. While they might leave a legacy for others, they can’t take anything with them or buy their way into heaven.
Someone who has great athletic ability and been rewarded for great physical feats is only truly successful if they’re run their race with Christ.
A person who is suffering great pain in any way throughout life still has a truly successful life if they depend wholeheartedly on Christ.
A person who struggles financially to live can be considered most successful with a life centered on Jesus.
And what about the person on their deathbed who has made terrible mistakes? Yet, with a heart wide open, they finally surrender to Christ as their Lord and Savior. That’s a person who did indeed find the greatest success in this life too!
Accepting His gift of salvation in our lives and following His direction is what truly makes us successful. And peace comes from knowing that being a child of Christ doesn’t depend on anything we’ve done well or achieved for ourselves.
If you are have regrets, think some of your goals just can’t be achieved, or are feeling quite unsuccessful today, let me encourage you. A successful life is found simply by becoming a child of Christ. If you have found that, then you are already a success! Your life is successful despite surrounding circumstances because of what He’s accomplished for you!
While life may be challenging on this earth and you may fail, there will be an eternity in which things will be made new. And you have found the key to success – His Son Who gave Himself up so you can live, forever successfully!