The American Dream

You may have a different dream for your life than someone else.  No matter what your dream may be, one thing for sure is that you want to get there by being successful.  Success is measured differently by almost everyone, but the end result you want depends on just how well you achieve that goal in your life.

There are many definitions of what success means.  It is an elusive goal in life that changes as you mature and encounter various successes and failures in life.  There is a four-word phrase for success that applies equally well to organizations and individuals—make yourself more useful.  In order to do this requires work on your part.  As you finetune your abilities in an area in your life, generally you become better in that area.  This results in becoming more successful.
Faith is important in the Christian life.  You come to salvation through your faith, and you know that without faith, it is impossible to please God.  Is faith all you need in your spiritual earthly pilgrimage?  James did not think so.  He states in chapter 3 and verse 23, “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.”  He follows by giving the example of Rahab.  Next, he ends the discussion with verse 26 stating, “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”  To be “justified” or set right before God and to bring into completion the faith in your life, requires eternal works.  As verse 26 says, “faith without works is dead.”

Thus, to be successful in your life on earth, as seen from heaven, requires you to have works on earth to be rewarded in heaven.  The goal of success starts with making “yourself more useful.”  This can only happen with you doing some works.  Start today to be more successful by adding some work(s) to achieve what God wants to do through you.