Faithfulness and Success are not compatible words in my mind. At least, not spiritual faithfulness. Yet, as we continue the series on the Fruit of the Spirit, I found that success is a result of faithfulness. Perhaps not how we define success in our culture, but surprisingly, secular and spiritual success are often intertwined in the Bible.
Mother Teresa once said “I do not pray for success; I ask for faithfulness.”
It appears that Mother Teresa believed that when we are faithful we fulfill God’s plan, which is true success.
AS ALWAYS, I LOOK TO WOMEN OF THE BIBLE FOR EXAMPLES
Who did I find? Ruth and Esther!
Ruth left her family, people, and culture to stay with her mother-in-law and to follow the one true God. By doing so, she fell in love, married into an affluent family, and, most importantly, was an ancestor to Jesus! (Matthew 1:5)
Talk about faithfulness leading to success.
Esther lived in the time when the Jewish people had disobeyed God; therefore, He allowed them to be conquered and exiled to other lands. Esther finds herself without parents and being raised by a cousin in the foreign land of Persia. Through some God ordained coincidences she becomes queen. Her husband was a capricious and unpredictable man who was convinced that the Jewish people were against him. It was Esther’s faithfulness that saved the Jewish people. Her story is found in the biblical book named after her.
AND THERE ARE MORE!
Mary, the mother of Jesus, showed great faith when the angel told her she would give birth to the Messiah. Anna’s faithfulness allowed her to see the Savior (Luke 2: 36-38) and Mary Magdalene was the first to see Jesus after His resurrection. (Mark 16: 9-11)
AND WE CAN’T TALK ABOUT FAITHFULNESS WITHOUT INCLUDING ABRAM (ABRAHAM)
Yes, Abraham showed great faithfulness. He moved when God told him to move to a new land, he circumcised his family upon God’s command, and even obeyed God when told to sacrifice his son, Isaac.
But he also messed up. He laughed at the thought of having a son in old age. After all, he was 100. Additionally, there was that faux paus of accepting Hagar as a surrogate mother. They had a son together named Ishmael. This brought about two warring people groups that are still fighting today.
However, Hebrews 11:11 tells us: “By faith Abraham, even though he was past age – and Sarah herself was barren – was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.”
Note that Hebrews states that Abraham became a father in old age because he believed in GOD’S FAITHFULNESS.
Our faithfulness is not dependent on us, but rather our dependence on God’s faithfulness TO us. Just like all the other fruits of the Spirit, faithfulness is the direct result of God transforming us into a new person.
SOME OTHER VERSES TO CONTEMPLATE
….for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
“If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2:12).
OTHER RESOURCES AND COMMENTS
Finally, if you want to read more on faithfulness and success, check out my previous blog Success God’s Way. You can also find a great list of Scriptures on this subject at God Net.
As always, I appreciate comments. Let me know what you think about the link between faithfulness and success. Do you agree that our faithfulness is dependent on believing in God’s faithfulness to us? Share a time when God remained faithful in your life. Any successes you attribute to being faithful? Let’s us know.
