“You will be happy if your life is a success, if you are successful in your job, in your relations, your finances, your sport. Being successful is something you can control yourself. If you are not successful, you are doing something wrong and you have yourself to blame.” This is the message of the present spirit of time and it also has a church version: “God wants you to prosper, to be a success, He wants to bless you.” Unfortunately too often the conclusion is drawn that when you are not being (visually) blessed, you are doing something wrong.
We are afraid to miss out on what God wants to do in our lives. Suppose we don’t hear Him good enough and we miss an opportunity because of that, maybe our life doesn’t become as successful as it could have been. That’s why we want to know from God what the best education is for us, the best place to live, the best partner for life, in what profession and ministry we can best apply our talents, to which projects we can best give our money and what steps we can take to spiritual growth? How can I turn my life into a success, so others can see that God is good and does good?
That suffocating feeling, that sense of urgency, the idea that you maybe are not able to do what God expects of you, because you missed what He asked, and may be now someone will not be saved that otherwise could have been, that feeling is not from God.
Paul already sighted: “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Did you let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?
God wants to free you from the performance society and bring you into His rest. (Hebrews 4:10) He wants to walk with you in the cool of the day. He wants to talk with you about you, your questions, your doubts, your highs and your lows. He wants to know how you feel about Him and if there are things He can do for you. He wants to tell you what He thinks about you, how happy He is with you and how much He loves you.
Gods voice more often is a feeling in your stomach, an experience in your heart or a thought in your head than an audible voice in your ears. Gods presence brings along a deep peace, a feeling it’s okay, no matter what. It gives relaxation and fulfilment, gratitude and joy. This doesn’t mean you are permanently happy or you don’t have any problems. Life stays the way it is and shit still happens. But despite of everything you can find a refuge in God and know you are safe. You can receive comfort and new hope.
This is the way God usually communicates with you, Nine times out of ten you don’t get ready-made answers, but you do get an arm around your shoulders from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He walks with you through the darkest valley into a better future.
When you have found this, you have by definition a successful life. It can’t get much better.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. (Psalm 23)