Recently, we went through another round of graduation ceremonies. Some graduating from high school may have felt the weight of their future, and those graduating from college surely did.
Questions must have swarmed through their heads like, “What am I supposed to do now?” “What am I supposed to be, and/or what is my life’s purpose?”
Basically they all had to determine, “What does having a ‘successful’ life will look like for me?” In order to answer this question, one must determine by what standard they are going to measure their life. Man’s
standard would surely include a high paying job, living in a beautiful, luxurious home, driving an expensive vehicle, etc. In this scenario, everything is based on pleasing one’s self. Many times, in the pursuit of pleasure, the end doesn’t look anything like the potential happiness promised in the beginning.
In the pursuit of pleasing one’s self, we are prone to become discontent with others in our lives. The person we marry, who is supposed to please us, begins to place demands on our lives, and we break off the relationship. Climbing the ladder of the world’s success often means making purchases that we cannot afford, and the stress often leads to substance abuse or depression. Finally, near the end of life, we are left with the only real conclusion for this kind of life and that is, the world’s standard of success doesn’t bring happiness.
However, there is another standard by which a believer can measure his or her life. We can measure the “success” of our life by God’s standard.
God’s standard is not measured by external things but rather our inner being. Man’s standard measures money, possessions and position. God’s standard measures contentment, inner peace and joy.
In this scenario, everything is based on pleasing God. Thus, in the pursuit of pleasing God you place others above yourself, and this generates healthy, loving relationships. Being content results in less stress and leads to inner happiness and joy. In pleasing God, one feels connected to something much greater than themselves and believes what they accomplish in life has eternal value, giving them a heightened sense of purpose.
Teachers, friends and even parents may challenge us to become doctors, lawyers, bankers, engineers and business owners. Seldom do we ever hear the words of Jesus that say to us: “If anyone will come after me, let him deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23).
Sometimes we hear a call to be a vocational minister as a pastor, missionary, evangelist and/or ministry staff member. Yet, there is a call for every believer that is even higher than the call to vocational ministry.
This call is to believers who are doctors, lawyers, engineers and business owners; just as it is to vocational ministers who are pastors, missionaries, evangelists and ministry staff members. It is the call to be a servant of Christ. From this calling, one can have any vocation and find their success not in their temporal accomplishments but rather in the things they do as a servant of Christ.
Make it your goal to find success using God’s standard of measurement. “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through to steal; for where your treasure is there will be your heart also” (Matt. 6:20-21). Discover the high calling of being a servant of God.
