When Success is Simply Saying “Yes”

So, I’m doing a final review of a talk I’ll be giving very soon. Suddenly an unexpected wave of concern sweeps over me. I remember that the talk I’ve readied in the quiet will soon be seen and heard by real people.

I’m not alone in that feeling. The bookkeeper who must present her spreadsheets in a board meeting knows it. The mom whose child is suited up for that big game understands it. The runner who trains on the streets of a neighborhood and then takes his place at the starting line battles it. In those many varied moments, we all want assurance of success.

I begin to ask, “How can I make sure this goes well?” And a verse from Proverbs pops into my mind: “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.” (Proverbs 16:3). I pause and consider the words. “Is this a guarantee from God that everything will always go the way I’d like it to? Not so according to my life experience and the rest of God's Word.

Slowly I began to grasp the true meaning: Success isn’t about outcome; it’s about obedience. The “success” this verse talks about is set in motion not when the results are in but as soon as we say, “Yes, God, I give this to You.” He thinks differently than we do. To Him, every obedient “yes” is already a success.

I’ll confess a part of me wishes that verse meant what I want will always happen. But when I look back over my life, I realize there have been many times when what I thought would be best would actually have been a mess. Thank God He didn't answer that prayer the way I was wanting Him to!

And the real relief is that when I commit something to God, I no longer have to carry it. I don’t bear the weight of the fears, expectations, and pressure. I can faithfully do what He’s asked me to and know He will take care of the rest. Whew!

I return to review my talk and all that concern fades with this realization: Who I’m turning this over to matters more than how it all turns out. God’s got this. He’s got me too! And, He's got you!

Measuring Up to God’s GREAT Expectations

We seem to always be striving for something big, bigger, or biggest. You know what I mean. The BIG “catch”; the HUGE promotion; the better paid job; running the FULL marathon; to write the #1 Best Selling book; to be the Valedictorian of the Senior Class; to be the "First" Chair in the band; to have the largest office in the complex; to have the most pristine yard in the neighborhood. In reality, all of those examples are OUR expectations and NOT God’s.

A conversation with a friend prompted me to write this post today. We had been talking about the pressures we place on ourselves to BE, DO and HAVE. We find ourselves in a “measuring up” mentality. And, along with the GREAT expectations we put on our own shoulders, we think that God is holding out His yardstick measuring us also. I’m sure you’ve heard the quote: “Who you are is God’s gift to you, but what you make of yourself, is your gift to God.” I love that quote, but inside that quote is “what YOU MAKE of yourself”. That’s pressure no matter how you look at it – especially in the light of pleasing God. After all, HE EXPECTS us to MEASURE UP! (Not!)

I wished that a TV camera had been in on our conversation because I could sense we were unveiling a marvelous “freedom from striving” lesson. The more we talked about God’s expectations for us, the more we realized how much He takes pleasure in us when we are simply living and being in each day, not in the pressure of BIG accomplishments or achieving first place in anything.

We talked about Saint Therese of Lisieux (affectionately known as the “Little Flower”) who was known for her “little ways” of pleasing God and others. St. Therese became a Carmelite nun at the age of 15. With characteristic humility, she wrote in her memoir “Story of A Soul”, about doing everything in life, especially the little things, out of love for God and for our neighbors. She showed so much love for our Lord in answering His call for humility and service that she made the ordinary extraordinary!

Therese saw herself as "the Little Flower of Jesus" because, not like a brilliant rose or elegant lily, she was just like the simple wild flowers in forests and fields, unnoticed by the greater population, yet growing and giving glory to God. This is how she understood herself before the Lord -- blooming where God had planted her. Her "little way" teaches us to do the ordinary things of life with extraordinary love. A smile, a note of encouragement, a phone call, always having a positive word, a simple unnoticed task to brighten the life of another, and so many other simple deeds, done with love. The smallest action, done with love, is more important than great deeds done for personal glory, gratification or simply out of obedience.

Even in prayer, Therese teaches simplicity - talking to God and Jesus in direct, personal and heartfelt ways. She did not like long prayers. She fell asleep during community prayer. She prayed from her heart as a child speaks honestly and trustingly to a parent they love. Therese was faithful to the Gospel of Jesus and the core of His message.

While God probably didn’t call us to be a cloistered nun outside of the realm of competition and achievements, I think that the verse that describes how God measures our ways is best found in Proverbs 3:5,6 “TRUST in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, but IN ALL YOUR WAYS, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” God’s measuring stick isn’t a measuring stick at all, it’s a bulldozer that clears the roads for His kids who in all their LITTLE WAYS acknowledge Him.