True Success in God: Don’t Underestimate Your Impact

As believers in Christ, we should define success differently than those in the world. Yet in Christianity, success is often seen in very much the same way as the world. It should not be so, but we find ourselves feeling that our impact has to be big. We must have these big, measurable successes for it to matter to God. Smaller accomplishments in mundane tasks or things that can’t be measured tangibly are seen as less than.

How many of us have been told we are going to do big things for God, that we’re going to go to the nations, or something similar? We’re told to strive to be “world changers” and to make something of ourselves. Serving our families can be seen as mundane and not as influential. Reaching big crowds or having a large following is seen as success.

The problem is that our first and primary calling is to know and love God, and then to love others as He leads us. This may look like a lot or a little, but the important thing is that we follow God’s leading in it no matter how unmeasurable it seems.

Truth be told, our relationship with God and how we love others often goes unseen because it happens in the hidden place of our hearts and minds. The important thing to God is to love and to obey, knowing His reward far outweighs any accolades or accomplishments we will have on this side of eternity.

Our daily assignments may be big, small or somewhere in between. The best thing we can do is what God shows us to do, not comparing ourselves and our lives to others, who have different personalities, gifts, skills and assignments.

We must realize that most of us will do many seemingly small things that don’t look like much to others, yet these things matter to God. Our impact will not be truly measurable until we enter eternity.

Not everyone will be on a stage or be well-known. In fact, it might be dangerous if we are seeking a big platform because this may not be what the Lord desires for our life on this earth. As we look for the big, we may even miss the “ones” He would have us go after, those He would leave the ninety-nine for who need His touch.

I think of Jesus Himself. Born in obscurity, not loved or thought beautiful by most. He mostly poured all He had into 12 disciples when He walked the earth, and only 120 filled the Upper Room after He returned to the Father and then His Spirit was poured out. He is our example.

He poured into a few, yet after His time on earth, the fruit He brought forth increased. That increase was evident through the handful of people He taught and built relationship with. Through investing in just a few, His Kingdom increased exponentially. Jesus started this with the few, not the many.

God’s view of success is unlike the world’s. His ways are not our own, where that which is done in secret is of great value to Him and humbling oneself is more worthwhile than being seen by the world.

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If we do Father God’s will for us in this life, seeking to love Him and others, we are successful. May we not compare ourselves to other believers or to the world’s standards of what success looks like. Even if it is unseen or seemingly small compared to what others are doing, He is pleased when we are loving and obedient to Him.

The most important pursuit of all is our hearts aimed toward His and all that flows from that place.

You don’t have to go on missions to have a life that matters to God. God needs people like you who love Him, serving in your community too. Your neighbors, people you pass daily, family in need of His love and truth, the Kingdom in your town or region, even just those under your own roof…

The prayers we pray in the secret place are of great value to Him. The response of obedience to His heart is not less than someone else’s because we do not become a missionary in another country or do something for God that becomes well known.

Doing His will is doing His will, even if it seems worthless or small according to man’s opinions. God sees, He knows. What He desires most is your heart for Him, saying “yes” to Him as He leads you, His beautiful and unique son or daughter.