Lessons Learned: Success and Faithfulness

"Be self-reliant and your success is assured." ~ Anonymous

As I read the above words, I was reminded of how much our world values success. Everyone wants to be successful. From the CEOs of the Fortune 500 companies to the college student pulling all-nighters before exams to the ultra-marathoner who ran 490 miles in six days, we want to be successful. I want to be successful. I appreciate diligence, discipline, and determination. I respect hard work. I look up to people who set goals and go after them. It's ingrained in my nature. According to my DiSC profile, my Behavior Style Profile Pattern is "Results-Oriented." The analysis of my profile says that I "like to take action to achieve the results [I] desire." That's pretty on-target. I like to work hard at what I do, to pour time, energy, effort, and creativity into effecting change, achieving results. There is nothing wrong with setting goals and being disciplined to pursue them; as a follower of Jesus, I am called to excellence in what I do. What I am not called to is self-reliance, nor am I called to focus on success for success' sake. Solomon, the wisest man in the history of world, said "What does a man gain by all the work at which he works under the sun? All is vanity!" Solomon understood that hard work solely for the sake of success is meaningless.

If I could summarize the past 7 months of my life into one lesson learned, it would be aptly described by the following statement:

God has not called me to be successful; He has called me to be faithful. ~ Mother Teresa

I want to be successful. I want the time and effort and energy that I pour into my work to have results. I want the things I do to effect change. But as I continue following Jesus, He is teaching me that despite my "result-oriented" nature, the results are up to Him. HE is the one responsible for the "success" of anything I do. "Apart from Him, [I] can do nothing." It is not my responsibility to be successful; it is my responsibility to be faithful. I am not asked to ensure the right results - I am asked to be faithful to use the opportunities given me, to walk through the doors opened for me. I am asked to be faithful to obey and faithful to abide. The rest is up to Him. As I let go of the desire for results, my heart is free to remember that my greatest desire is to be found faithful, and these words become my prayer:

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

May the fire of our devotion light their way

May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe

And the lives we live inspire them to obey

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

Tomorrow will see the start of a training program for school teachers. I've poured time, effort, and energy into this program, and I want it to work - I want to see results. But even as I pray that this time will be a tool to effect change in the lives of children, there is freedom in knowing that the success of this work doesn't depend on me. I am asked to be faithful, and He'll take care of the rest.

"Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses...let us run

with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus."