S-U-C-C-E-S-S

While listening to a radio program last week, I heard someone share his view of success. He spoke of writing a couple of bestsellers and how he began to view reaching that mark as making him successful in life. However, after experiencing a potentially life-ending situation, he redefined success and stated it this way:

"I will consider myself a success when I am walking close to Jesus every day; building a strong marriage; loving my kids; performing meaningful work; making others "homesick" for Jesus." (courtesy Phil Callaway and Focus on the Family)

When you pillow your head at night and reflect on the events of the day, how do you determine whether or not you've been successful? I know we all may have certain regrets; perhaps a hasty word spoken in anger or a kind deed left undone. Yet in reviewing the overall course of the day, are you achieving those goals that are most important to you?

Driving along that day, I was inspired to create my own success statement; here's what I came up with.

I will consider myself a success when I am honoring God above all else; showing a sweet, submissive spirit towards my husband; training my children with love and in truth; maintaining a joyful atmosphere in our home; ministering to those whom God brings across my path; shining as a light to the world around me.

That's a mouthful! I don't expect that every day will find me excelling in each of those areas. However, if I focus on measuring how I spend my time and activity according to those priorities, I can hopefully look back at the end of a day....month....year....life, and say, that by God's grace and in His strength, I have been successful.

Have you ever written out a statement like this? How do you measure success in your life?

photo courtesy public domain pictures