IS JESUS YOUR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS?

Before you start reading I want you to take a moment and think about this topic. 

IS JESUS YOUR DEFINITION OF SUCCESS?

I started struggling and still struggling with this question when I started worrying about my future. Thoughts about what I want to do with my life after school, money making, what age I would like to get married and have kids and so on. And trust me I had a plan which was going well until…oh well… let’s just say Jesus came into the picture.

If you've been through this phase in your life I am sure you are probably laughing at me right now, I know, I have realized it doesn’t always work that way. But the point of me explaining this is, that was my own definition of success. Getting a degree → then a job → then get a boyfriend → then get engaged → then get married → then have children and then Boom!! Boom!! Boom!! I AM SUCCESSFUL!!!

Let’s define the word Success : the accomplishment of an aim, purpose, fame, wealth or social status. In simple words the definition of what a good life means to you. The idea of something or a feeling that you long for and once you think you have it makes you feel successful.

And so for me getting all those things I listed above was my definition of a successful life. That was what I termed the good life, and please don’t get me all wrong desiring and wanting all those things are not bad, but desiring and worshipping those desires as idols is a problem.

And so like I said earlier my plans were going well and boom!!! Jesus can into the picture. At this phase of my life I was yearning for more of God, was tired of going after God for a week and then doing my own thing for months. I was just tired of playing God. And then I was opportune to listen one of my favorite pastor Maxwell Thomas preach on "THE NATURE OF TREASURE". During and after that sermon I was wrecked. It was as if the Lord had set a trap for me and when I fell for it I fell hard. It was such a good sermon but also very challenging as I myself had to think through and answer so many question of what my definition of success really was.

Prior to that day, I had wanted to be (and still want to be) a very successful and good film maker. To be more precise I wanted to be one of the top best film makers in the world. I wanted to be very famous and wealthy and just live a worry free life.

I wanted and desired these things so much so that all my time, effort, money, emotions were invested in how to make it my reality. And like I said these things aren’t bad, it’s just a matter of how we go about prioritizing those desires over Jesus. And so my journey of me defining Jesus as my ultimate success began. My whole passion and purpose for film making gradually became to solely glorify Jesus. 

If at all I become famous I wanted to be known as that girl madly in love with God who is also madly in love with her. I wanted my fame to glorify Jesus. When I did became wealthy (cus I will. Amen!) I want my wealth to be used for Jesus. And just like that all my desires began to change. My desires became Jesus oriented. 

What exactly happened? What changed? It’s the same Grace, so what’s different? The answer is simply Jesus.

Revelation 4:11(NIV) - You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.

The last part of that verse says for by his will I exist, I know the words are very explanatory but I want you to let it sink in for a moment. That is, just by his thoughts I was created and the reason I am still alive is because of his thoughts. The reason a clock is existing is because it was once somebody’s thoughts and the person brought that thought to life and the clock is existing and is doing the exact same thing the creator intended for it to do. Then my question became why did the Lord create me and am I living a life that fulfills the reason he created me for?

Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV) - Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.

Bam!!! Bam!!! Bam!!! Do I need to say more? Okay I will. This means if my greatest desire is not me wanting to love God with my everything, emphasis on the everything, something is wrong. Desire is a strong feeling of wanting to have something or wishing for something to happen.

So what is your desire? 

The driving force of life is desire, not ethics, or morals, or any sense of right or wrong. Affections are the rudder that directs our path in life – Maxwell Thomas.

So if my desires are what will drive me to live a purpose filled life then what are my desires. What makes me happy? What do I worry about? What does my heart chase after? You see we end up chasing after what will answer these question. And because we love what we are chasing we end up worshipping it. You worship what you love. A quick illustration.

A singer spends his/her time, money and energy rehearsing yes to sound good but the main goal to get people approval and that gives the celebrity joy, so he/she chases after that approval.

What you treasure, what you seriously want can complete you. What you feel will make you worthy, your overly desire is what you worship and what you worship is your God. You see my desires gradually became to love God, to let his will be mine, to be one with him and every other things comes after that. Nothing comes before God absolutely nothing. 

So do I still desire to be one of the best film maker YES! But if it begin to take the place of Jesus in my heart, if it will lead me to idolatry, if it will take my desires away from Jesus then I don’t want it. Which means if I was created to love God, then my greatest desire should be chasing after God’s love, pursuing that love endlessly and that should be our definition of success – Jesus my definition of Success.

So take a moment, dig deep into your heart and ask yourself what exactly is my greatest desire?  Material things? Sex? People approval? A person? Sport? A hobby? A career? Your family? Spouse? Friend? Food? Do you really love these things or the pleasure and satisfaction they give you? Look deep and I pray that the Lord will guide you.

1 John 4:19 – We love because he first loved us.

Until next time.