Success
In a season of obscurity, you may find yourself questioning your abilities and self-worth because you haven't been guided on how to truly gauge success.
Life's intricacies render success far more than meets the eye. One can appear well but not truly be so, look fit yet lack true health, seem affluent without actual wealth, exude happiness while battling depression, or portray a perfect relationship that is, in reality, unhealthy. The facade of appearances can deceive. When we contemplate success, we often limit it to visible achievements. However, the crucial question remains: "How does God define success?"
Pastor Steven Furtick just completed a teaching series titled “Kingdom Clout.” In his message he went into various areas of our lives that we consider to be unsuccessful because of how we measure them. We invest so much time and ability into trying to reach a certain place in life, that doesn’t matter, and miss out on developing the areas in our lives that does. We are left feeling empty and unfulfilled because our investment was based on material things and temporary people.
Pastor Steven Furtick explains success from the perspective of “God’s Kingdom.” The kingdom of God is within us. “How many of us invest within?” When you invest within you won’t yearn for materialistic things. You’ll feel complete, and a complete person doesn’t have a thing to prove.
"I believe it is important to delve deeper into the idea of embracing obscurity. Regardless of the level of success one achieves, there will always be an element of obscurity present, and success often comes with a price. The key to true success lies in obedience to God, even in the midst of obscurity. It is crucial not to judge God's will based on the appearance of success, as history has shown that even seemingly successful endeavors like those led by Hitler or the slave trade were fundamentally wrong. True success should be determined within one's heart, not solely by external outcomes, as genuine success may arise from the most obscure of places."
