The Path to Success

by Alexandra Copeland

Recently, I listened to a very successful person talk about qualities that are needed to fulfill goals and achieve success in life. Over the years, I must admit that I’ve tuned out many such discussions, finding them repetitive and lacking in creativity. This person said something that made my ears perk up at attention. She said if you define success by wealth or how much money you have in the bank, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment, because money is just a piece of paper. This is a true statement, and it wasn’t my first time hearing it. I was intrigued because someone who had come from meager beginnings and had achieved success and wealth was exposing many of the myths about what it takes. 

True definition of success
People define success a million different ways. Some say that it is being true to your core values. Others define it as peace of mind and self-satisfaction. Most commonly, many people do indeed define success as having lots of money and power, and they also believe it is living the kind of life you want to live. Many of these are admirable pursuits, but they don’t necessarily yield the level of fulfillment and spiritual growth that we were placed on this earth to achieve. If we value material gain above our relationship with God, we might become a wealthy individual with an empty soul, and there’s quite a bit of this in the world today.

Titus 2:11-14 tells us that God is ever-ready to pour into us and to forgive us for our transgressions; this is on full display, and salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ is available to everyone. We, you and I, are being shown how to steer clear of an empty-soul existence where there’s no connection to God, no way for His love to get in or out. Through Christ, we can live a God-filled, God-honoring life, totally committed to doing good deeds. This is why we were created, to fulfill our purpose according to what God has ordained for our lives and written in our books in heaven. This is the true definition of success—living the life God wants us to live.

Hear God first
Thousands upon thousands pack stadiums hoping to hear some bit of information from a self-help guru that will better steer them down the path of success. These exercises can be helpful, but nothing can be compared to hearing from the Creator about what He’s planned for our lives. The prophet, Isaiah, said in Isaiah 40:14-15 (NLT) “Has the LORD ever needed anyone's advice? Does he need instruction about what is good? Did someone teach him what is right or show him the path of justice? No, for all the nations of the world are but a drop in the bucket. They are nothing more than dust on the scales. He picks up the whole earth as though it were a grain of sand.” God created us! He knows what we ought to be doing and how we ought to be doing it. And not only this, when we get in alignment with His Will for us, He’ll provide all that we need to fulfill what He’s called us to do.

Proverbs 15:21(NLT) says, “Foolishness brings joy to those with no sense; a sensible person stays on the right path.” Wealth doesn’t make a person wise, and it would be unwise to pursue it without understanding what God requires of us first. Psalm 37:23 tells us that God establishes the steps of those that are Godly, and He delights in every detail of their lives. God hears our prayers and desires to live fulfilled and prosperous lives. He listens to us, and in turn, He expects that we will listen to Him. He will lead us to treasures because He singled us out and called us by name. He’s given us a privileged work to do on this earth, and He’ll reward us with the desires of our hearts if we are diligent to follow His guidance.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.