When my little sister and I get together, it is always a time of reflection. Having come from alcoholic parents, a mom who abandoned us, parents who were each married four times, and having seven other siblings (all from our dad’s other marriages), it would be easy for us to both say, “Look at all I have accomplished!” We wouldn’t state this because we are incredibly successful, famous, or wealthy. But because we are both happily married, with incredible husbands and children, jobs that we enjoy, and we own our own homes. Those are tremendous accomplishments, having come from where we did.
But we both know that the credit does not belong to us!
God is the one who gets all the glory for where we are.
Typically, when people look at a successful life, they tend to take the credit for all of their “successes”. It is their hard work, their abilities, their knowledge, and their drive. They take no credit for the mistakes and the chaos that their lives are in but they sure take credit for “success”.
Who created us, though? That’s right. It was God. “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb” Psalm 139:13.
He was the one who created us with the abilities to do and obtain everything that we have. It has very little (if anything) to do with us. “You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.” Deuteronomy 8:17-18.
I know where I would be without God. I might be more wealthy. And I might be more successful. I might even be famous. But I would also be loaded down with debt; a debt that I could never pay.
And I don’t mean a mortgage or credit cards. I mean a sin debt. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23.
I was running quite the tab prior to Jesus becoming Lord of my life.
My life was in ruins. I was angry, bitter, guilt-ridden, and self-focused. Yet, if you had asked me about my life, I might have replied, “Look at all I have accomplished.” I didn’t even know the desperate state of my life.
Look at all I had accomplished… all by myself! No one, including God, helped me to earn that sin debt. Nor did He help me earn that life in ruins or the anger, bitterness, or guilt for that matter.
But He did help me pay it off. I searched for God, with all my heart, and then He rescued me from all the damage I had done to my life and the sin debt that I couldn’t pay. He paid it with the blood of Jesus, His own precious Son. “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10.
We look at earthly “success” as wealth, prestige, or fame and we think that, if we could only attain those things, they would satisfy us. But the hunger that every human has is for a relationship with our Heavenly Father. It is not for earthly success, acquisitions, or riches. Apart from Jesus, nothing in this world will ever satisfy. “Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.” Psalm 107:8-9.
And even if we attain those things, they will only last in this short earthly life. We will not take them with us into eternity. “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” Mark 8:36.
We will not stand in Heaven and glory over those things acquired here on earth. We will not stand before our Heavenly Father and say, “Look at all I have accomplished.”
The most precious thing that we can acquire in this life is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And we don’t acquire it. He gives it freely to those who seek Him. “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.” Proverbs 8:17.
And, once we begin to follow Jesus, there is another treasure that we can acquire. If we have done well following after and serving God in this life, we might just be blessed enough to hear Him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” I pray that I live my life out well enough to hear those precious words. “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’” Matthew 25:21.
Father God, forgive us for taking credit for anything in this life. Forgive us for proclaiming, “Look at all I have accomplished.” Because we know that, according to James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Help us to live out this life for you, Father, not for earthly things that will last for this short life alone. Help us to live out this life for you and to earn eternal rewards in Heaven. Help us to live out our lives in such a way that we would honor and please you. And that we might hear those beautiful words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Have you been attempting to fill that Jesus size whole in your heart and life with earthly things? Have you been chasing after earthly pleasures, success, fame, and fortune? Does acquiring material things consume you? Is your life in ruins like mine once was? If you answered yes to any of these questions, please go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/) and pray the prayer that is outlined there. God wants to satisfy your soul. He wants to forgive you and adopt you as His own precious child. He wants to help you give up that futile chase and stop lusting after things that will never satisfy your soul. Please pray that prayer and, once you have, reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com and let me know. I’d love to be in prayer with and for you.
Luv Ya!
