Live a life that is worthy of the calling He has extended to you.
Ephesians 4:1
I am imagining a world where we live out our callings to their fullest potential, where success doesn't look like huge numbers or giant followings but a life lived out in humility, patience and love. I think Jesus measures success differently than we do.
I've been thinking a lot about dreams and callings recently. I've started to get really excited about some dreams that Jesus is cultivating deep within my heart, and as we know I am a dreamer, so dreaming things up is the most fun thing ever.
But where there are dreams, there is doubt.
I called my safe friend yesterday. I called her doubting everything.
"Please tell me I'm not crazy," I begged her.
She reassured my sanity, and then said words that I'll never forget:
"Success looks different to God than it does to the world."
Those words stayed with me long after we hung up the phone. Let me tell you something: I want the world to view me as successful. Yes I do. I like affirmation. It feels sooooooo good. Let me tell you something else: I am scared if I dream something -- if Jesus cultivates a dream deep within the refines of my soul -- that the dream could totally flop.
Probably not a shock to you, but this girl doesn't like failure.
But success looks different to God than it does to the world.
Success to the world looks like fame! money! a gajillion followers on all social media! But what does success look like to Jesus?
Well, I'm not sure yet. I come back to this verse: Live a life that is worthy of the calling He has extended to you. Maybe it's about stepping out and partaking in this calling He has so graciously extended to you -- whether that feels successful or not.
And when your calling feels small and the world feels big, this is what I will remember:
I want to live out my calling in the biggest way I can, but in the smallest way possible - the kind of small where I always find myself in front of Jesus.