The first success factor in building life beyond success is to surrender our dreams to God's Dreams. Joseph, from the Old Testament, had two literal dreams. In Genesis 37, we read that he dreamed about ruling over his brothers and his family. His father was perplexed with him, and his brothers hated him. Eventually, they sold him into slavery. Joseph could have denied his dream; or he could have given up on his dream, becoming bitter at God for giving him a dream that did not seem to make sense, and that had gotten him into so much trouble.
Do you have a dream that God has given you? Do you have desires to do things or to develop skills that may not seem to make sense to you or to your family? First and foremost, make your biggest dream as being the dream to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. That is the message of the Bible, and as Christians, it is the biggest dream for which we were designed. As long as the dreams that we have line up with Biblical truth, are backed by wisdom, and are surrendered to God for His timing and purpose, we can be assured that we are headed for life beyond success: a life that will bring significance.
A second success factor to living life beyond success is to remember that every single circumstance and detail in life can become part of our dream. Joseph was sold into slavery, then rose to become second in command to a great official in Egypt; was unjustly charged with rape which he did not commit when he committed to ethics and refused to be seduced by Potiphar's wife; was faithful in his service in the Egyptian prison; and was ultimately promoted to becoming second in command in Egypt. Joseph demonstrated great faith throughout all of this. He believed in God's ultimate plans for his life, surrendered himself to those plans, and lived a values oriented life based on his trust in God's plans. He did not give into bitterness, disillusionment, or despair. Rather, he bloomed where he was planted, giving himself to serving God with all of his abilities in every circumstance, and the combination of his faithfulness combined with God's blessing upon his life resulted in a legacy eventually lead to preservation of Israel and the founding of Christianity down the road.
Practical success strategy for the Christian entrepreneur:
Cultivate time in God's Word, the Bible, and in prayer. Too often, we are down, depressed, dejected, cynical, and embittered because our plans have not turned out the way we expected them too. People have let us down, life has not gone the way we think it should. Our hearts are out of tune, because we have not been spending regular, consistent time in God's Word. Make a daily appointment on your schedule to spend time with God, reading his Word, treasuring it, meditating on it, memorizing it, journaling about it. When you make this a regular consistent, your mind will be in the right place, and your feelings will be consistent with making wise and ethical choices that will result in success in every circumstance. The key to remember here is that there will always be adversity and suffering; what is critical is how we choose to respond to the adversity and suffering.
Finally, when you are going through dips, valleys, and setbacks, live your dream by helping others to find and achieve their dreams. Isaiah 58 challenges each of us to feed the hungry, help the homeless, reach out to the lonely, and to see how we can be a blessing to those around us. It is often in serving others that we find our dreams being rekindled or clarified. Joseph, in serving where he was planted, was able to arrive at the place of the fulfillment of his dream: becoming second in command in the land of Egypt, over all of his family. But, on the way, he learned to serve Potiphar, serve the prisoners under his command while he was still in prison, serve the king while he was still in prison.
Are there co-workers around you who could benefit from some skill you have to offer? Could it merely be a smile or a kind word? Is there a neighbor in need? Is there a cause, either through your church or through a local community agency, that you can become involved in? By pouring your life into others, you will find life beyond success: a life that truly matters.
Resources to help you identify your dream:
ESV Study Bible (TruTone, Forest/Tan, Trail Design)
The Bible is the foundation of all of your life. By studying, treasuring, memorizing, and obeying God's Word, you will be living your dream in line with God's Truth.The Christian's Career Journey: Finding the Job God Designed for You
How to Find Your Mission in Life
, by Richard Bolles.Here is a link to an article that can get you thinking about identifying your mission: Write Your Life’s Mission Statement Today
Resources to help you cope with adversity and suffering, finding God's strength in the middle of disappointment:
Disappointment with God
, by Philip YanceyFailing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success
, by John Maxwell.Over the Top: Moving from Survival to Stability, from Stability to Success, from Success to Significance
, by Zig Ziglar.What about you? What are some key success factors, to you, to living a life beyond success? I would love to hear your comments!
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