When we are preparing for success, what does that mean? The word success is so watered down because people define it to meet whatever metrics they set in their lives. Let's explore a simple definition of success, “our ability to respond to life and still being able to maintain a pure heart and a healthy perspective.”
What is life? Life is the summation of all planned, unplanned, both negative and positive experiences that we will encounter in our allotted time on this place called Earth. People usually connect success to acquiring, obtaining or maintaining things. To some success is merely overcoming the odds, having victory over defeat. Nonetheless, what happens when things don't go as planned? What happens when you lose. What happens when the odds are against you and they overtake you? What happens when open doors close? Can you still be victorious, be successful?
Yes, victory is overcoming defeat but victory is also how we respond to defeat. Yes, the path to success may appear as a meandering road of open doors, but not all open doors are portals to blessings in our lives. Sometimes open doors are portals to destruction and God closes them to protect us. Success is being able to respond to when things don't go as planned and you can still say “it is well in my soul.”
If success was just predicated on our abilities to achieve and obtain, then what happens when we don't? People prepare themselves for the best case scenarios but when life occurs they are ill-prepared for the opposing outcomes. Perhaps when growing up you were told success is having a job, house and a family? What happens if you lose those things? Does that make you a failure? The good news is NO. Failure is your inability to respond to LIFE.
A house is a thing and all things are replaceable. Your credit may hit ground zero but like most things it can be rebuilt in time. If you lose your job, the good news is there are more jobs. Is success having a large company? What if the company is filled with people who are lethargic and non-productive? Some times losing things makes room for other things to manifest. A tree cannot keep its leaves forever, it must lose them so new ones can grow. Sometimes we have to rid the dead weight in our lives that is causing us to drown. Stop holding onto to images of success and acquire a successful perspective, mindset. Don't be in the pursuit of success. Success is inside of you with every decision or response you make.
People plan a wedding but perhaps not marriage and definitely not divorce? Divorce is as much a part of life as marriage; they are both choices and neither have mandates. Is success in marriage years spent to together? What if those years are havoc and both people build silent contempt in their hearts for one another? Does marriage fail or do we fail marriage? Marriage is an institution designed by God, therefore we know it is indeed a good thing. If your doesn't work out, no big deal. Work on whatever residual issues you have and make better choices as far as spouses in the future, if you choose marriage again. Whatever the case keep a clean perspective and a pure heart. Don't desecrate marriage because someone may have desecrated you. Don't dog-out a whole gender because of your lack of discernment in selecting a lifetime companion.
Everything in life happens in cycles. We have seasons of peace and we have seasons of chaos. Learn to be prepared before the storm. Stock up on joy, peace, patience, and understanding. These things will help you keep your inner lights on even when your external ones go out. Whatever you have going into the storm, come back out with those things. They may get low and may need to be replenished but that's where your reserves come in, your friends. Success is a perspective that regardless of whatever happens to me, I'm not losing my mind, my joy, or my peace.
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