Simple Success

At first those two words don't seem to go together. There's nothing simple about climbing the ladder of success. It takes work and determination for most people to be successful as the world defines it. Yet in the spiritual world, it's simple to be successful.

In week one we were reminded that spiritual success is being who God created you to be. So much of our lives are spent being who others want us to be. Try as hard as we might, we fall short meeting the needs and expectations of others. Yet we keep trying. And all the while we are distracted from what really matters to God.

We desire the material possessions that give the world evidence of our success, while Jesus calls us to seek other things first. I like the way Matthew 6:33 reads in The Message (inclusive) "If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers-most of which are never even seen-don't you think God will attend to you, take pride in you, do the best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way God works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how God works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met."

Simple success. It's possible, it's worth it, and it brings great joy. I'll leave you with a question from the text. Are you so preoccupied with getting that you're not responding to God's giving? Take time to thank God, especially for the blessings money cannot buy.

Join us Sunday at 10:45am as we dig a little deeper.

Rev Sandy, Pastor