What if God Gives You Success?

Be careful what you ask for. We all know the punch line, right? “Because you might get it.”

But what if that’s not the real punch line?

What if the real answer is “Because you might not know what you are asking for?”

Success is an interesting subject, and all leaders want to be successful. The tension resides in the fact that we don’t always define success the same way God does.

Aligning with God’s plan is essential.

We might think success is a big church in the burbs. God might think success is a small church in the country.

Or what if God doesn’t connect success to numbers at all?

What if God’s definition of success is more about character, trust, obedience, loving people, lifting His name and teaching the gospel?

God did promise new territory to Joshua. (Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west.) That certainly does sound like measurable or “numeric” success.

But God also focused on the relationship Joshua had with Him.

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.

Joshua 1:7-8

How you define success matters. Do you have a definition?

Does your definition of success remain consistent, or does it change according to your circumstances?

What does your heart long for?

Let’s be honest, anyone who leads wants success. I’ll bet you’ve never awakened in the morning to a thought like: “I sure hope I fail today.”

And let’s be clear, the core of the gospel is redemptive. It’s about reaching more people for Jesus.

Like most of us, you’ve probably experienced both the successes and failures.

The counterintuitive thing is that God can use our failures for His Kingdom success if we continue to trust and follow Him.

The following are a few things I’ve learned over the years about success. I hope they are helpful to you.

4 Helpful Ways to See and Understand Success

1) Allow success to be something God gives you, not something you attempt to take.

You can’t force success no matter how hard you try. God has to be in it.

It’s not uncommon for leaders to try to “take” success from God. Meaning, it’s something we expect, or feel entitled to, in our way and in our timing. Of course, that never works well.

You can work hard, and that makes a big difference, (God wants you to do your part), but God’s purpose, plan and power must be in play.

You may be in charge, but you are not in control.

When you take spiritual-oriented success into your own hands, it’s incredibly heavy, often short-lived and usually exhausting.

When God gives success, you still work hard and get tired, but the fruit tastes so sweet. The load is lighter, and there is more than enough joy and meaning to replenish your weariness and refresh your soul.

Allow success to be something God gives you, not something you attempt to take.

2) If you are blessed with success, never forget where it came from.

God gives us visions and dreams along with gifts and talents. He gives us assignments and we do our best to lead with success in a way that honors Him. That’s how it should be.

When success comes, large or small, its human to think “we” did it.

As a result, we can be tempted to pray less in a season of success. It’s a foolish but natural inclination to relax in the “good times.” I continue to learn that it’s during times of success that I need to pray most.

It’s easy to subtly slide from the truth that ultimately God makes it all happen, to “I made it happen.” I don’t think we really believe that, but we can begin to live and behave as if we believe it. That’s the subtle and dangerous difference.

God is gracious and kind to provide His favor to all that we do, gratitude and continued obedience is the only right response.

If you are blessed with success, never forget where it came from

3) Don’t sell your soul for continued success.

Success to the soul is like sugar to the palate; you just want more. Is there a healthy boundary?

We don’t want to intentionally shut down success, right?

When I have a chocolate chip cookie, my first thought is never, “well I’m good now.” I think, “just one more,” and that thought never ends. There’s nothing wrong with a chocolate chip cookie, but I can sell out my health if I keep eating them.

Most leaders are highly driven and dedicated to the mission. And when you get a “taste” of success, you may be tempted to pay any price for continued success.

Where do you draw the line?

• Do you protect and put your family first?
• How about your physical health?
• What about your spiritual life, ironically, it can be at risk even when your time is dedicated to God’s work.
• How would you describe your prayer life, is it all that you want it to be?

These are good questions for a personal check up when leading during success.

4) Failure is a springboard to future success.

Some leaders are more successful than others, but no one experiences continued success throughout their life.

If you are a leader, failure is inevitable, but it’s not final. God is still with you.

Failure can knock you down, and sometimes it can feel like it knocked you out. But you can get back up.

What you and I learn from our failures makes us better leaders. How we apply what we learn makes all the difference. Today’s failure can become the beginning of tomorrow’s success.

Sometimes we need a more experienced and wiser friend to help us navigate the difficult seasons. Sometimes we need a fresh start. Sometimes it’s nothing more than a good night’s sleep and start again in the morning.

Whatever the case might be for you as a leader, embrace failures as part of life, learn all you can, and keep pressing on.

I pray this article is helpful to you.