I would like to share two things that I believe can easily bring contentment and success in our life. My inspiration to these has been my Lord Jesus Christ. Studying His life has helped me to understand what are the things that we have to chase and that which we have to leave. His life has been an immense source of encouragement and knowledge for a life that needs to be well lived.
The first step that can bring us closer to success is “work
without position”. Working without a position can be a hard thing for
many of us. So many of us derive our identity with the position that we are given.
Let me illustrate it for you when we get into a company or a place of work. We are
shown ladders of position and many times we are taught that reaching the top of
the ladder is success. Let me pause here and before I move on let me tell you
how I define success in my life. Success to me is to find God, a life well
lived, fulfilling every purpose of God. I don’t see anything else that
can bring contentment.
When we are given a position, sometimes, we limit ourselves to
the boundaries of that position. So if a person gets into a managerial position
and if he or she is just looking after what has been asked to do that person is
limiting him or herself. As a contradiction to this stands my spiritual mentor
and second in line to the ministry that I work (the person has not been given
that position but does everything that the role requires). One day I saw this
person cleaning the toilet which has been used at least by 20 plus people and I
thought to myself this is leadership and working without position. When the
world around runs behind position this person stands an anomaly.
So am I saying that we shouldn’t be ambitious? No! Be
ambitious and do all things that you can do with or without a position. Positions
in your work place, ministry, college or school or for that matter anywhere you
are placed, let it not be the driving force in your life. Position has its
advantages. It will help you boost your morale, morale of people working under
you but if there is person who goes beyond positions and its limitations that
person will reach places.
The second step is to have an open heart towards corrections.
To accept things that needs to be corrected in our life. One thing that I’m
grateful to God is that helped me understand this is one of the most important things
that I should never let go. To let people be around you, to tell where you need
to shape up! Shaping up is a hard job. It is not easy! Every time I see body
builders I feel inspired to work on my body to burn off the excess fat but do
you know it’s hard. After 50 pushups or 50 reps on dumb-bell body will be
crying “stop”. But you have to push
yourself to achieve your goals.
I’m a person who believes in course correction. Many times I
have travelled towards certain destinations only to find myself lost in some
unknown areas. We need constant course correction. For that we need the help of
people who are concerned about our wellbeing. Sometimes the biggest hindrance
to this can be our pride. Pride will stop us from realizing the destiny that
God has in store for us. It’s always good to ask people for help. Help asked at
the right place will not destroy us.
Another thing that I have found is people with huge talent
and potential find it hard to get corrected. They feel God is the only one who
can correct them but seldom do they understand that God uses people to correct
them.
In my life I have allowed certain people to correct me and
show me the right way. Does this mean that I don’t listen to anyone else other
than them? No! I listen, take them to God and to the people who I have allowed
to speak into my life, if they say change “change it is!” Another reason is
that they are the people who see me almost every day, so they know me more than
any random person I meet.
The above two are things that have helped me in my life to
lead a purposeful and fruitful life. I’m not saying that I have reached there,
success, even according to my definition. I’m still on my journey but I have
faith in God who said “He who began a
good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Phil 1:6. My
trust is in God and not on myself. My strength can lead me up to a certain
level but if I have to go beyond that, I need God!
So remember two things
1.
Work without position
2.
have an open heart towards corrections
These two things have helped me and are helping me to walk
towards what God has in store for me!God bless you! :)
