As they spent a little time in prayer today, I was seeking God for direction with my businesses. I really felt impressed to stop looking at the world’s definition of success and look at how God defines it. The world defined success as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. The world often measures success in terms of money, education, level and one’s career, followers, likes and influence. God defines success in Joshua 1:8.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Joshua 1:8
I admit I have found myself looking at the world’s terms when it comes to success recently. I have found myself hyper focused on numbers. Frequently despite having turned off all the notifications for that very reason from early on in my time on social media. It was a pretty clear conviction that I was getting caught up in the world’s definition of success.
As I looked up other verses about success I was drawn to the ones about Joseph. There were many verses in just a short few chapters about Joseph’s success. I have always related to Joseph, the dreamer; so it didn’t take much to know this was God disciplining and correcting me. I was seeking for the next step. Joshua says meditate on the word and obey.
Joseph was favored by his father. His father made no attempt to hide that Joseph was his favorite child. It created a rift between Joseph and his brothers. Even when Joseph shared his dream about his father and brother bowing to him, Jacob scolded Joseph a little; but he also took it to heart. But favor in the world doesn’t always translate to success.
The first time the Bible mentions Joseph’s success he has been sold into slavery. His brothers had thrown him into a pit planning to kill him, but had found the opportunity to profit instead. By the world’s definition this would not be success.
The Lord was with Joseph, and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. Genesis 39:2
The second and third mention of success, Joseph was in prison. Again not really a place we think about success. But when God makes his success the world takes notice. Joseph’s success impacted the keeper of the prison.
But the Lord was with Joseph and showed him mercy, and He gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. Genesis 39:21
The keeper of the prison did not look into anything that was under Joseph’s authority, because the Lord was with him; and whatever he did, the Lord made it prosper. Genesis 39:23
Only when someone, the Pharaoh needed something that God could provide did Joseph have worldly success come in. He quickly went from the prison to second in command in the country, this was God’s success but it meets the definition of Man’s success too. This place to Joseph in the position that God had showed him when he was just a young boy.
And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Genesis 41:38-41
As I thought about how God made a man in slavery and prison successful, I took notice. If God can do it from places of imprisonment there is hope for me because I have neither been a slave nor in prison. I can recognize when I am abiding in God as Joseph did.
God’s success came first. Worldly success may follow but at the end of the day it is not the world that has called me or who determines my success. It is God. I can’t look through the world’s lens at success because God’s favor doesn’t always translate to man’s success. Just because I may not meet the world’s standard doesn’t make me any less successful in my God given purpose. My role is to just keep serving God faithfully in what He has called me.
I found this quote and it perfectly sums it up:
People can’t stop God’s plans for your life.
People may not approve you.
Don’t worry about it, God approves you.
People didn’t call you; God called you.
People don’t equip you; God equips you.
People don’t anoint you; God anoints you.
When you come to the end of your life, you don’t have to answer to people;
you’ll answer to Almighty God.
~Author unknown
Lord, I’m sorry I got my eyes off of you and onto the world’s definition of success. Help me to meditate on your word and seek to obey your will. I want success and favor from you above the world’s. I want your presence in my life more than just your present. Keep me seeking You first in Jesus name Amen
Restoring Voice 
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