After Success, Pray
One of the things I continue to struggle with in my life is knowing just how to deal with success. Because we are taught to remain humble and because I know that all good things come from God, it sometimes feels almost like I'm doing something wrong when I acknowledge that, yes, I did something good.
A while back I was honored to be in a group who got to hear from the producer of the movie Fireproof and one of the authors of Love Dare, Alex Kendrick. As he discussed how they went into development of the film, he said over and over again that everything they did was prayed about. There was only one thing that he could attribute any success to, and life-change to - and that was prayer.
This week there's going to be a few posts coming up on the blog about some successes I've had recently. Some dreams that have come true, goals of mine that I believe were God-given that have seen fruit. I think it's important that we share in one another's joy. I think it's important that we pause and enjoy the gifts of success that God has allowed us to partake in.
I think we need to embrace success more often.
But, in doing so, just as we need to pray from the onset of any endeavor, we need to pray during and after it as well. Prayers of thanks and prayers of humility. Prayers that any struggles or battles we fight along the way are there to make things better, to make us fight harder or, in more cases that we care to admit, to get our attention that we're doing it wrong.
Even now, even as I'm writing this, I still feel like it's taboo to say, "Hey! I'm excited about this thing I did! Look!" Or even the thought that a part of me worries that this post is really communicating to you: "Guess what! I prayed! I really did!" Its so hard to find that balance of self-awareness of your personal success vs being prideful. I think that's one of the reasons I've blogged so seldom lately.
But... the fact of the matter is that the Lord has given me a season of success. It could easily be gone tomorrow with one wrong word or one late project. So I'm choosing to rejoice in the things that God has blessed my life with, labors that have seen success and - hopefully - will serve in their own way to spread the good news of hope and love.
And thanks to all you who help teach me, give me grace, and convince me to share my thoughts with the world.
A while back I was honored to be in a group who got to hear from the producer of the movie Fireproof and one of the authors of Love Dare, Alex Kendrick. As he discussed how they went into development of the film, he said over and over again that everything they did was prayed about. There was only one thing that he could attribute any success to, and life-change to - and that was prayer.
This week there's going to be a few posts coming up on the blog about some successes I've had recently. Some dreams that have come true, goals of mine that I believe were God-given that have seen fruit. I think it's important that we share in one another's joy. I think it's important that we pause and enjoy the gifts of success that God has allowed us to partake in.
I think we need to embrace success more often.
But, in doing so, just as we need to pray from the onset of any endeavor, we need to pray during and after it as well. Prayers of thanks and prayers of humility. Prayers that any struggles or battles we fight along the way are there to make things better, to make us fight harder or, in more cases that we care to admit, to get our attention that we're doing it wrong.
Even now, even as I'm writing this, I still feel like it's taboo to say, "Hey! I'm excited about this thing I did! Look!" Or even the thought that a part of me worries that this post is really communicating to you: "Guess what! I prayed! I really did!" Its so hard to find that balance of self-awareness of your personal success vs being prideful. I think that's one of the reasons I've blogged so seldom lately.
But... the fact of the matter is that the Lord has given me a season of success. It could easily be gone tomorrow with one wrong word or one late project. So I'm choosing to rejoice in the things that God has blessed my life with, labors that have seen success and - hopefully - will serve in their own way to spread the good news of hope and love.
And thanks to all you who help teach me, give me grace, and convince me to share my thoughts with the world.