Success from God's perspective

George MacDonald said, "In whatever man does without God, he must fail miserably or succeed more miserably"
This is how the Holy Spirit helps us see success from a different perspective;

1. The Holy Spirit gives us thewisdom and the adaptability to see our situations more from God’s evaluative perspective. Paul wrote, "I know how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without any being in want. I can do everything God asks me to do the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power." (Phil. 4:12,13)
Quote: Rudyard Kipling once wrote, "Failure and success - treat them for what they are - imposters." Ask the Lord to help you grow in realization
that your situation is not as bad as you might think or as
successful as it might appear.

2. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to overcome temptations to become discouraged by setbacks or to allow ourselves to grow proud during times of success. The Spirit of God transforms our thinking, emotions and perceptions to see how God can use setbacks for our best
interests. Similarly, the Holy Spirit gives us the grace to keep from becoming too self-sufficient, prideful or obsessed with achieving success. Isaiah learned that both setbacks and successes are given to us through the sovereign power of God. Isaiah wrote, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my
thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8,9) Ask the Lord to help you gain greater deliverance from the evils of selfish pride. Trust God to lead you away from the temptations to allow yourself to grow discouraged, frustrated or weary in well doing.
Illustration:Someone once asked Paul Harvey, the journalist and radio commentator, to reveal the secret of his success. "I get up when I fall down," said Harvey.

3. The Holy Spirit helps us to avoid setting our expectations too low or too high. Paul wrote, "For the grace given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought (not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance), but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him." (Rom. 12:3) Ask the Lord to help you set your personal, relational and ministry expectations according to the degree of grace God gives
Illustration: What is success? In my book, one ingredient of success is meaningful time with my children. As a friend of mine observed, "I have yet to hear of anyone who, on his deathbed, wished he’d spent more time at the office."