It's about HIM

I have many worldly moments... fearing about my health, stressing about things I can't control, dealing with emotions that come along with it. But I must remember, these are worldly moments. I must remember to remain connected to the only One who can and will get me through it all.

Life is so much better with God, with Jesus. With prayer, and handing over these stresses, these moments, these situations to God, I release them. I say to Him I cannot do this, but You can. It is with His strength I get through. And through doing so I experience this deep comfort, much more than a worldly feeling of comfort. It is an inner peace. I know I'll be ok because I know my final destination.

It is about relationship, not religion.

If someone were to ask me if I am religious, I say no. I'm not religious. I don't like that word.  It's about relationship not religion.

It's about talking to God.
It's about learning His word then living it.
It's about striving to be His disciple and leading others to Him.
It's about knowing we can't, but He can.
It's about accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.

What a comfort that is. I have a personal Lord and Savior. Because I know Him, I know my destination and I do not need to fear any worldly things.

It doesn't mean it will be easy, but it does mean it will be possible. He will always provide a way out if we cannot handle the trial. But I don't believe in taking the easy way out. I believe in hard work. I believe in commitment. I believe in doing what is right. I believe in Jesus. The difference in my belief in Jesus as opposed to my belief in anything else, is I not only believe but I have a relationship with Him. After all, even the devil "believes in" Jesus.

Relationship not religion. And the most important and first relationship in your life should always be with Jesus.

It's not about rules.
It's not even about tradition.
It's not about staying away from just the "big" sins.
It's not about walking into a building one day a week.
It's not about dressing a certain way.
It's not about a specific type of music or no music.
It's definitely not about "earning" your spot in Heaven due to your own good deeds.

A saved Christian will strive to do good deeds. But we know we cannot "earn" our spot. You know why? Because that makes it about us when it should be about Him. We can NEVER be good enough for him. We are ALL sinners. Every single one of us no matter how big the sin or how many. We have already failed Him. But, He died on that cross to nail our sins- OUR sins- to that cross. We must accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior and walk that very narrow path to eventually reach our destination Heaven.

Relationship not religion. Him, not me, not you, not us. Him. It's about Jesus. For when I am at my weakest is when He can truly show how strong He is. And so when I am weak, when I am troubled, when I am stressed- I try to let go of those worldly things and hang on to Him. I cannot, but He can. Thank you Jesus!

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Defining success

Are you successful? 

How you answer that is based off of how you define success.

So how do you define success?

Do you define success as being a CEO of a top company, and yet you are just a mid-level employee having trouble moving up? Then I guess no, you cannot consider yourself successful.

Do you define success as having "things" and you have many of them yet you are deeply in debt because of it, but you don't care about that debt? Then I guess yes, you can consider yourself successful. 

Perhaps deep inside you don't feel such a thing is truly success, in your eyes it is different, but you become blinded by what others think and want for you. Your definition of success is skewed based off of how you were raised, your environment, society and even the media.

So what truly is success? Is there any common ground to base a definition or goal to attain off of? And, does it matter?

I think at the end of the day, success, achievement, strength, beauty, every thing- comes down to the bottom line of what you believe in, morals, what is absolutely more important than anything else to you.

For me, that is God. If I place my eyes on Him and let Him be my guide, I know I cannot go wrong. He is the one constant in life. The One and only who will never leave or forsake me. The one unchangeable. The everlasting, omnipresent God. So truly, if I want to be successful, I should base it off His will for me. That will give me something to go after, something to strive for, not based on materialist things or worldly ever changing society filled with confusion. It will be based off the One and only who knows what's best for me. And if I want to be successful, it seems there would be no other way to reach it than that. 

What is God calling you to do? We all have spiritual gifts, we just have to find them. Your spiritual gift(s) will lead you to what you should be doing in life. That may be a job that fits into how society defines success, or it may be helping others without getting paid at all. It may fit along with how you define success or what you desire to do in life, or it may not. But truly if you find your calling and follow it, I don't think you can go wrong, because God will be there every step of the way and it is His purpose for you. If we all lived for His purpose, what a beautiful peaceful world this would be.

In society's eyes, am I successful? Let's see. I do not have a job that pays a regular income, I do not own a house, I do not have my own family. Society could very well say I'm a failure. 

I am not a failure. What happened to me is not a result of my own doing. I was extremely successful in society's eyes in college. I was on my way to what I thought would be an amazing future. Then the world came crashing down. Guess what? That amazing future still exists. Because my success isn't based off of a job, another person, or money. My success is based off of God. God is with me. God is leading my way. God is the glory of anything good I do. God gives me the words to say and when to say them. God touches others through me as I am only a vessel. Whatever His will is for me, let it be done. He sees me as successful. And I bet if you turn your life over to Him, He would see you as successful too.

Some may see this as a cop out, a way to feel you are worth more than you are. But again, what is worth? What does it ALL come down to at the end of the day? For me, it's God. He is my judge. He is who I live for. So others can kick me down and tear me apart and tell me I'm not good enough, but God is right there telling me yes I am and He works for the good of those who love Him. I love Him. 

So how do you define success, and is it an ever lasting, never changing, brightest light that ever existed to rest your definition upon? If so, go get it! God is with you.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
    and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3