Home
>
Spirituality
>
No Star-Studded Career

No Star-Studded Career

What is success? It probably means different things to different people. One person said, "Success is the ability to fulfill your desires with effortless ease." Another person said, "Success is an outcome and a state of mind and being and a matter of choice." And still another concluded, "Success is your belief that you will achieve anything you desire." There seem to be a consensus that accepts the definition of success as, "The achievement of something desired, planned, or attempted."

It is important for Christians to understand that success as understood in the usual secular sense of the word is not promised in the kingdom of God. God never promised anybody a star-studded career. He never promised achievement in the worldly understanding of the word. In fact, God promises the exact opposite.

What God reveals in His word is for every Christian to expect opposition, disappointments, hard obstacles, setbacks and even satanic assault. Even God's own Son was not exempt from the flames and arrows of hardships for He was "wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities." Scripture makes it clear that God's concept of success has to do with suffering for the sake of the kingdom; faithfulness in the fight against the powers of corruption, enduring the race to the end.

Success in the spiritual sense includes a cross in the equation. Paul called it rejoicing in tribulations. He said, "I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. If you want to check my credentials; if you want to verify my certification do not look at the degrees hanging on my wall ? but look at my scars; look at my bruises, look at the wounds on my body for Christ's sake."

You see success is radically different in the kingdom of God because as His employees we are not responsible for the outcome of our labor. We are not in management; we are in a kind of sales position. We are required to make contact and presentation. That is the end of it. We are not responsible for the results of our presention. We are essentially sowers. We are called to plant seeds, tell the story and then leave the rest to God. Paul said, "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow."

What this means is that we are not graded according to what the world calls accomplishment. Success is not predicated on receptivity; on how well something is received or how well we are able to produce.

The question may rightly be asked, by what criteria do our Lord evaluate our performance? If it has nothing to do with accomplishment, then what is God's mode of measurement? Well, I believe God's answer would be that we satisfy and please Him only to the extent that we plant the seeds in people's lives by telling the truth about Him and the human predicament and remaining faithful to that function.

God did not call us to be successful; He called us to be faithful. Honor the assignment God gave you. Spread the word, keep the faith, carry your cross, tell the story wherever you go.

Our Christian goal is not a degree; it is not certification. It is a crown that will replace our cross.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, is expected to be available soon.

You are welcome to visit amen ministries: your soul's service station for spiritual refreshing, soul edification, browse our newly expanded mini shopping mall or review our recommended books you may want to add to your personal library.

Blessings to all!

Airbnb cleaning service Glenview ..

In The News:

ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.

Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.

DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

No Star-Studded Career

Spirituality