The Illusion of Success
Written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Success and failure are illusory. Most truly heroic individuals I’ve had the honor to know do not consider themselves successful. To a person, each one would say, “I was simply doing my job,” or, “I was blessed to have good people around me,” etc. Blessed, heroic people are those who appreciate others and recognize that true success is not done in a vacuum.
By the same token, failure is illusory. Failure is not one’s own decision. Perceived failure often happens because of situations beyond our control. We cannot control what family situations we are born into, or what part of the world, for that matter. Even our own decisions are often made based on a background and experience unique to where we were raised.
While the reality that a great deal of failure is illusory, it doesn’t mean we are able to just get off the hook for every bad decision we make. It means there is a difference between failure and mistakes, or even poor judgment. Failure only takes place when we give up. This is especially true when we give up on God.
God gives us the ability to find success in life. God does not always provide financial success, but meaningful, lasting success often has little to do with how much money a person has in the bank. Today, consider the times when you felt like you were a failure. Because you are still trying to move forward, God must have carried you through that tough time. Reframe your definitions. You were not a failure, because you are still trying. Allow God to bless you by continuing to see your own relevance and ability to make a difference in this life. One cannot be a failure who has a close, prayerful relationship with God, put in action through caring for others. Keep trying and wipe away the “success” and “failure” labeling. It makes God unhappy and makes us feel worse. As the illusions fall away, the joy returns.
