I went to The Orchard Community Church tonight, April 24th,
2012. I just knew I had to be there. The series is You 2.0 and it hit me hard.
It hurt SOOOO good! The message tonight dealt with success. Scott Hodge, the
Orchard’s pastor, painted a picture of what we often feel success should look
like. By today’s standards, success is up and to the right. If you put it on a
chart, it would look like a straight line. But that’s not the case.
To illustrate this point, Scott started with what his plan
for success looked like and his 15-20 year plan and ended it with, “I have been
in ministry for 15 years and I am still waiting for that plan to show up.” He
then pointed out that, most times, the plans we set for ourselves almost always
do not end up the way we planned. Two year plans are hard. Imagine a 15 year
plan. Heck I am lucky with a 6 month plan and half the time, that doesn’t work
out either.
Scott then shared with us the abridged version of Joseph
(Genesis 37). Basically, Joseph was the most favored out of all of his
brothers. He has a dream that basically showed, symbolically speaking, that his
brothers bowed to him. He then tells his brothers this and they sell him into
slavery. (By this time, I have to imagine that Joseph was feeling that his
dream was a little off. Maybe it was something on the pizza he ate the night
before.) BUT, the Lord was with Joseph so, even in slavery, Joseph found
success and was soon favored by his master, Potiphar. Then Potiphar’s wife goes
cougar on Joseph. Joseph says no to her knowing that that will ruin all success
he has had with the Lord. Potiphar’s wife then tries to seduce Joseph. Joseph
takes off running butt naked trying to get away from her. She then tells
Potiphar that Joseph tried to rape her and presents his robe as proof. Joseph
is then arrested. Joseph then becomes head of the jail, after a time, because
God is still with him. He then interprets a couple of dreams for a couple of
inmates. Because of this, he eventually interprets a dream for the Pharaoh
which depicts famine and disaster. To avoid this disaster, Pharaoh then puts
Joseph in charge of all of Egypt.
Yes. . . that was the abridged version he shared. . . for
the most part.
Now I don’t know about you but that is not very up and to
the right in the realm of success. Scott didn’t stop there. OOOOH HO HO HO NO!
Nope, he had to dig it in a little deeper. The point here is that Joseph didn’t
try to make success happen . . . unlike most of us. No, he left it in the hands
of the Lord and trusted that God would lead him and show him the way in all matters. See this is where it all
sank in that I was supposed to be at church tonight. When you get into
discussions about success, then you have to talk about the opposite:
failure. Have you ever noticed that
Jesus flips what we consider failure and success?
Think about it. We determine failure by what is going wrong
and is broken. God uses what we perceive as failure to create HIS success for
us. When we have nothing left. When everything is broken. When we feel like everything
is burning and in ruins. That’s when God carries us the most. Joseph was sold
into slavery by his brothers. How many of us sell ourselves into slavery every
day? How many of us are trying to control our own lives and create success? Ted
Haggard had to do the same. Ted Haggard was one of the most influential
evangelists in the western world. He had every measure of success that we, as a
society, think of. Books, money, fame, influence. But he was trapped in a lie. It
was only after he lost it all that he
actually found Christ and was able to give it all to God. He failed by our
standards but God brought Him into the light and saved his life from the shell
he had created. God wanted him to trust in him and put the face away. By doing
so God blessed him with true success. He is now living in God and Ted and his
wife are better than they ever were. Likewise, God wants me to trust in him.
God wants the relationship with me to be based in complete love and trust for
his will. Not to do a happy song and dance with a false face trying to make
things happen. Which brings up the next point: Why am I afraid to let go?
This is a question I have been struggling with for a few
weeks now. I guess it comes down to this. Do I really trust in God to provide
the best for me and the ones I care for? I keep feeling like if I let go, I am
giving up. I have been told repeatedly that you never give up. Especially when it is for those you care about. But
here is the twist: God can do what is best, what is great. By trying to do
things myself and trying to make things happen, I can only possibly do good . . . if I am lucky. I don’t want
to rely on myself. I have seen the wreckage that causes. But I do want to rely
on God. Trusting in God and learning his words and wisdom is how I can prepare
myself to be ready. Ready for what you ask?
This is what Scott finished on and man did it hit home. We
do not need to strategically prepare ourselves for success. We need to prepare
ourselves for readiness. We need to be able to have our ear to the ground and
hear when our God needs us to say yes. I want to know when God wants me to say
yes. I love him with all I have and I trust him. So if I really care about
people that I do care about . . . wouldn’t I want them to be in God’s hands?
Especially if God’s hands are better than mine could ever be? This is my
struggle. I never want to feel like I gave up and walked away but giving it all
to God is just the opposite.
Mark 8:35 For whoever
wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life
for me and for the gospel will save it.
And that sums it up. True success comes from surrendering to
God. Not just some of your life. All of
it! Sure it is scary but I trust Him that he has written my life exactly
how he wants it. He is okay with us being scared. He is okay with us being
angry sometimes. God will let you talk with him about your fears and frustrations.
He wants to! God wants that
relationship with us. It is how he teaches us and breathes life into us. So by
giving it all up to God, I am acknowledging that He will get me through it all
and he will provide what it best. All I have to do is listen to Him, learn from
Him, love Him, and be ready to say yes when he wants and needs me to say yes.
John 10:10 I have come
so that they may have life, and have it to the full.
He is my hands and feet and as such, I am experiencing a new
life. A new success. Why would I not want to trust in Him? He is the one who
called my name and saved me. He can do anything. I just need to trust in Him
the same way the He loves me: Never ending.
“We should live our lives as though there are no secrets” –Ted
Haggard (after his fall)
