I used to think so. Until the realization that it is God’s Love, Mercy, Grace, and Forgiveness that makes me a “Successful” Christian.
It takes “Failures” in our work, relationships, “religious activities”, even sometimes our health to help us focus on Being a True Christian.
2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
So instead of counting all the good things I do, what’s important is what I am being. The list above in the scripture, (weakness, distress, difficulties, on and on) sounds like failures to the world. Yet that is when God’s power takes over . Failures bring a success. The success of Christ dwelling in you.
Here is a “Cowboy poem” concerning how success made me a failure, but the failures made me truly successful.
Failures bring Success by Dan Ainsworth
I sit on a tree stump, a primitive church pew
I just got my butt wet, it was covered with dew
But with pen and paper, I’m compelled to not delay
That I share from within, what my heart’s burstin’ to say
Success has caused failure in my journey to see
The True God I long for, and where’s the True me?
I’m reading a book “A Praying Life” by Paul Miller
It’s no epic or saga, nor comedy, nor thriller
But it’s words have hit home, they’ve cut to the quick
A book of spiritual food, this one does the trick
The author shares in his book, a new plan for success,
It’s authenticity, God’s plan all along.
A big word that is,(I had to find how to spell it),
Pains me deeply to realize, I’ve been wrong.
I thought to be successful in this Christian way of life,
Was to count things I do right and do good.
Just keep up with the number of good words and deeds,
and live like ‘man’ thinks that I should.
But God’s plan is simple, “son, just be authentic”
To me what is said is, “Be real!”
And Lo and behold, through a book and men’s prayers,
God’s direction to me is revealed.
Wow! God wants it real! Hey! I want it real!!
What a RUSH! To be on the same page!!!
He’s taken success, AND taken my failures,
Authenticity…. we are now to engage!!
His healing of my wounds, “open sores” and afflictions,
have left scars that look really gory.
But these brand new tattoos don’t remind me of pains,
but of God’s healing and my Saviour’s own Glory!!
The words, God has changed, He has them reversed,
my story now has a new part,
Reversed words and meanings now come into play,
God is cleansing and mending my heart.
Failures brought success in my journey to see,
The true God I long for, and the true me I’m to BE!
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