Success=Obedience

Today, I'm reminded of a principle that governs my life. It's a simple thought...but profoundly liberating!

God doesn't call us to be successful, He calls us to obedience. He invites us to follow after Him and to entrust the results to Him.

You see, seven years ago, I left Corporate America to fulfill the work of an evangelist. My first assignment was to share my testimony with one thousand people! Sound exciting? I thought so...the only problem is no one had invited me to share my testimony or speak at their church.

So, as I prayed, I got really creative and felt God instruct me to write my testimony on an 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of paper and then distribute one thousand fliers, to one thousand people.

Around the distribution of flier 799, frustration set in; I couldn't wait to be finished. But, I remained faithful until all one thousand mailers were distributed. After all the fliers were distributed, I waited. I couldn't wait to see all the fruit from my faithful service. Expectation grew but turned to bewilderment as days, weeks, and eventually a couple of months passed by.

Instead of a great outpouring or abundance of testimonies...I heard NOTHING! Not one person responded!

I was dumbfounded. Embarrassed. I questioned my ability to hear God's voice. In all humility I prayed. "Father, forgive me. I attributed Your name, thinking you commissioned me to do this. But, there was no fruit. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me."

I expected God to chastise me for attributing His name to such a miserable evangelistic effort; instead of anger or disappointment, God filled my thoughts with His. "Julie, I never called you to be successful. I called you to be obedient. Well done, good and faithful servant."

How about you? Have you picked up the weight of success or results? Have you attributed numbers or measurable results as God's favor?

1 Corinthians 3:7-9 says: "So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building." (NIV)


Friend, continue to serve, love, and obey God's voice. In your relationships, ministries, families, finances, service and life, I want to encourage you to keep planting seeds of truth, keep watering with words of kindness and acts of gentleness--THEN TRUST GOD for the healing, growth and deliverance.


When we stand before Him, He won't ask did you accomplish great things; instead, we will each give an account to faithful obedience. We won't be measured by ACCOMPLISHMENTS; He will judge us righteously and measure us against the standard of obedience. God covers us with His love. We are made holy by Jesus' sacrifice. God doesn't call us to achieve but rather submit and obey...entrusting the works of our hands and all our results to Him, alone.


Galatians 6:9-10 encourages us: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (NIV)


Be encouraged. God is near. Don't grow weary in doing good. Remain faithful. Remember, God is watching. :) He looks to and fro across the land to strongly support those that are completely His! (2 Chronicles)