This morning I read something in my daily devotional that I felt compelled to share…
“God may allow His servant to succeed when He has disciplined him to a point where he does not need to succeed to be happy. The man who is elated by success and is cast down by failure is still a carnal man. At best, his fruit will have a worm in it.” – T.W. Tozer
How true. I have spent most of my life trying to look good to others (being successful). Being a task oriented person, accomplishing major things feels good – but only for awhile. It doesn’t last. In not too long a period, I begin to doubt my self-worth again and go after that next great task that will give me the good feeling again. After awhile, a task oriented person like myself becomes an “accomplishment junkie”.
Yet true satisfaction does not come from accomplishments, it only comes from relationships and investing one’s self in others. But the sad truth is that the accomplishment junkie never takes the time to evaluate his life and consider the alternative because he is too busy with the next task. It isn’t until his world comes crashing down around him, either because he sees the failure in all his relationships or because God takes away all that he has based his security in, that he may begin to seek a better way.
It has taken me 50 years to learn this: true satisfaction only comes from a feeling of significance (not success). And since all accomplishments will one day be forgotten, none are truly very significant. The only lasting significance in life is in the relationships we build and invest our lives in. Significance over success; relationships over accomplishments. Only in that will we find real joy and peace and meaning.
As always, comments are encouraged here at this site or by emailing me at csonger@new-communitychurch.org
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