How do you define success? Money, fame, good looks, talent, lots of possessions, vacations in the Mediterranean . . . etc.? Are the people who have these things really happy? In truth, these things may bring a momentary euphoria, but they do not fulfill us. We were not created for “things”; nor are we created to worship ourselves or our possessions.
In fact, God’s formula for success is laid out plainly for us in 2 Peter:
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness (2 Peter 1:3 NIV).
So, God has given (past tense—we already have them!) us everything we need for this life. How? Through our knowledge of and relationship with Him. Which means we first must have a knowledge of Him, which means we must be in relationship with Him.
Through these (His glory and goodness), he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:4 NIV).
Participate in the divine nature? Wow, that’s incredible when you think about it. We have the chance to become like Jesus, to possess the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. We have a chance to possess the gifts of the Spirit: wisdom, counsel, understanding, knowledge, courage, piety, fear of the Lord. Talk about success! How do we do this? Through God’s promises—we store them in our heart and believe them.
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge; and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness; and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love (2 Peter 1:5–7 NASB).
Here, Peter lists the steps of growth for the Christian toward this divine nature. Each one builds off the one before it as we spend more time with God:
Faith
Goodness
Knowledge
Self-control
Perseverance
Godliness
Kindness
Love
For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:8 NIV).
Ineffective and unproductive are the opposite of successful and productive. Isn’t’ it cool that in this one Scripture, God has given us a formula for success in this life?
The more time you do steps one and two, the more your heart will change until you grow ever increasingly like Jesus.
Then you will be productive and effective in all that you do.
I dare you to follow this prescription. I dare you. Then wait and see what God will do!
MaryLu Tyndall