In the Bible, we see a lot of people defining their success as knowing what God wanted for them, and then working towards it. For the Israelites in the Old Testament, success meant getting to settle down in the land that God had promised them. For Joshua, this was the goal that he was chasing. In Joshua 1:6-9, God instructs him to ‘be strong and courageous’ three times, and also focused on him following the instructions laid out for him in Scripture, saying, ‘be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do’ (NLT). We see these instructions, to be brave and follow God’s commands, throughout the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land. We have to notice, though, that not everyone who followed God’s instructions made it to the end of the journey. Moses obeyed God to the end of his life, and passed on his task. He didn’t get to finish the mission, but he’s considered to be an immensely successful agent of God. Following what God wants us to do should be the real measure of whether we’re prospering in life. Sometimes we play a part for a limited time, and that is our success. We don’t always get to be involved in the whole picture, or see the end result. Real success isn’t a destination; it’s a journey. It’s the joy created by progress. It’s knowing that you’re fully on track when it comes to God’s plan for your life.

What Now?

Are there any successes that passed you by because you only played a part? Celebrate them today!