Assess Your Success

…He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch. But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. – Luke 5:4-7

Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. – Psalm 127:1

Do you consider yourself successful? What methods are you using to measure your success? Are you daily recognizing the Source of your success?

Po Bronson, New York magazine writer and author of several books, once stated, “Failure is hard, but success is far more dangerous. If you’re successful at the wrong thing, the mix of praise and money and opportunity can lock you in forever.” Bronson is on to something! We must be cautious to guard our pursuit of success carefully, building with things that last and carry eternal value.

In Luke chapter 5, we meet some struggling businessmen in the fishing industry. They had been up all night, slaving away with their nets, and had come up with absolutely nothing to show for their work. Once daylight finally came, they disembarked from their boats and began washing their nets on the shore.

Jesus, needing a place to teach that was away from the crowds but within hearing distance, climbs into one fisherman’s boat, a businessman by the name of Simon Peter. After speaking to the crowds, He makes a proposal to Peter: “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Peter patiently explains to Jesus that they had been doing just that for the entire night. But, he decides to give it a try. You know what happens — his crew finds themselves overwhelmed with fish!

Unless you are following Jesus and obeying His Word, your labor is in vain. Simon obtained the huge catch of fish only after putting Jesus’ word into action. When we embark on the Kingdom business ventures that God is calling us to, Jesus takes our God-given skills and abilities, and as we obey, begins to bless our work and gives us success defined His way.

When we begin to experience success God’s way, it brings us to a place of humility: “When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!’” (Luke 5:8) Simon looked at his weakness compared to God’s strength and could only react by falling to his knees!

Recognizing the source of all success gives us the power and strength to give up our efforts at pursuing worldly success. God calls us to trade in wordly profit for godly profit, trading in temporary treasure for eternal value. Like Peter, we have the opportunity to give up today’s success for tomorrow’s eternal reward: “And Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men.’ So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him.” (Luke 5:10-11) After that incredible catch of fish, notice what Peter does! He leaves it and runs after Jesus.

Today, assess your success from God’s point of view! Jesus isn’t concerned about how much profit a business makes or how successful we are. He cares about how we make a profit – in line with His word — and what we are doing with what He has entrusted us. Are you using your temporary resources to bring about godly profit?

Godly profit and success:

Has everlasting, eternal value
Is acquired through obedience and proper stewardship
Is the reward of service
Is used to build the kingdom of God

Worldly profit and success:

Has limited or temporal value
Is acquired by power and might
Is the goal
Is used to feed the lusts of the flesh

“Better a little with righteousness that great revenues without right.” – Proverbs 16:8

My prayer for you today is that you would recognize the Source of all success in every area of your life and that you would begin to live a life filled with Godly success.

Want to learn more? Enroll in a BE class and learn more about how to be successful in the right things!