“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
— 2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)
Just a few months ago, I felt like a complete failure.
My life didn’t look anything like I had hoped. I had dreams. I had worked hard. I thought I was headed in the right direction.
And then—everything stopped. My plans collapsed. My expectations unraveled. And I was left asking:
“What happened? Why isn’t my life moving forward? Why do I feel so sad and stuck?”
It took a long season of reflection, prayer, and truth-searching to realize the root of my despair: I had the wrong understanding of success.
📊 The World’s Definition Is Not God’s
Society has its own checklist for success:
- A well-paying job (even if you hate it)
- A house. A title.
- Visible achievements that make others admire you—or envy you
But is that God’s measure?
“And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person’s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
— Ecclesiastes 4:4 (NIV)
Much of our striving is rooted in comparison. We work harder not always because we’re called—but because we’re watching others.
Even when we have enough, we’re tempted to think we need more… because someone else has more.
We quietly begin to believe: “If I’m not as successful as them, I must be failing.”
🧭 What Changed for Me?
As I wrestled with my frustration, one biblical figure stood out to me—Paul.
When he was known as Saul, he had everything:
- Prestige
- Position
- Influence
- A bright future
But God stepped in, and everything changed:
- From respected leader to servant of Christ
- From persecutor of the church to persecuted for the gospel
- From influence among the powerful to rejection and suffering
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God…”
— Romans 1:1 (Darby)
“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation… whether living in plenty or in want.”
— Philippians 4:12 (NIV)
Paul’s success wasn’t measured by ease or comfort—but by obedience.
🛑 When God Says "Stop"
I came to understand that the “STOP” in my life was not failure—it was God’s intervention. It was His loving way of calling me to re-evaluate my heart:
- My motivations
- My definitions
- My expectations
And slowly, I saw that true success isn’t about how high you climb, but how closely you follow Him.
💭 Questions That Changed Me
Now, before I pursue a new goal, I ask myself:
- Am I chasing this because God is leading, or because I want approval or validation?
- Does this path move me closer to God’s plan for my life?
- Am I comparing my life to someone else's—and making decisions out of envy or fear?
These questions don’t just protect my heart. They align me with what really matters.
Because at the end of it all, I don’t want to say: “I achieved everything I set out to do.”
I want to say: “I obeyed. I trusted. I followed.”
🙏 Final Thought
Success, in God’s eyes, is not about being the best. It’s about being faithful to what He’s called you to do.
You may not be where the world expects you to be. But if you are where God wants you to be—you are right on time.
✨ A thought for today:
Let your measure of success be obedience, not outcome. Faithfulness, not fame. God’s purpose, not people’s applause.
