Success... When to draw the line

Success. Everyone wants it. However, how do we know when to draw the line?

    Everyone wants to be successful. There's no doubt about it. After all, who really wants to be a failure? From our childhood to adulthood, we have been programmed to win. In school competitions we want to win. Those competitions ignite fire in the competitors and their supporters. A simple school competition can establish family feuds between two neighbors. 

    Worldly idols have presented themselves to be successful with all the luxury they have. Their fame and fortune have captivated the minds of our young people, so to the point that they believe that this is the way of life. In some cases, competitions that started family feuds, in the end they became fatal feuds. 

    We have to know exactly when to draw the line. We must know how to keep ourselves and our family on the right track, while pursuing success.  Success is powerful. However, it can be dangerous without knowing how to engage in it.

    

    As a little girl, I set goals for myself. When I asked my friends about their goals, they did too. No matter what, we all had a vision and we established goals to help us to create a plan of action that will gain us success. From home to home. From dinner table to dinner table, the conversation of family success is encouraged. In some cases, it's definitely expected. 

    Often times, many believers go astray and fall off the path of righteousness in order to fulfill their life-long dream of success. Does that mean they are no longer a believer. Of course not. What that means is that no one is perfect. The word of YAH informs us that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Even with that, how far is too far?  Listed below are some ways to know when it's time to draw the line in the sand. 

       When someone or something causes you to compromise your faith, then that's a clear sign that it's time to draw the line. It's best to walk away and keep your integrity than to bring corruption upon yourself and your loved ones. 

    Joseph was thrown into a pit by his brothers and became a slave to his enemies. Nevertheless, he never gave up on his faith. He honored his father even though he was a long way from home. Most of all, he chose not to dishonor The Most High who sees all and knows all. Last of all, he refused to lose the trust of Potipher by having sex with his wife. Though Joseph was sexual harassed by Potipher's wife and although he knew he would be wrongfully accused of the act if he didn't participate, Joseph chose to keep his integrity by obeying his father's teachings. Joseph turned away from self-gratification to bring glory to Yah in his actions. Keep in mind, that if we are not careful and cautious, self-gratification can cause sin to creep up on us. However, Joseph simply refused to sin against God because of another person's lustful desires of him (Genesis 39: 2-10).

      

    When someone or something causes you to doubt your faith then it's time to move around. Faith gives us stability. Faith grants us favor from Yah and without faith you have nothing. In fact, Paul writes to us in the book of Hebrews that without faith it's impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Since everything comes from God, then we must ask Him for that which we have need of. Therefore, we cannot waiver in what we ask. James told us that a man who doubt is like a wave that is being tossed by the wind. So, ask what you will by faith. 

    

            "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed" (James 1:6).

    Anytime someone goes against the structure of nature and the commands of God, Run. Get out while you can. Especially, if they say there is no God. Get away. These types of people are corrupt, foolish and unwise. They do not have wisdom because they do not fear the Lord. Proverbs says it best, "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding" (Proverbs 9:10). A foolish person will bring you down. They practice foolishness. Foolishness does not produce prosperity. However, in the end it will bring about destruction. Only a foolish person will say in his heart that there is no God. Wisdom has spoken even in nature that there is a God in the heavens and in the earth. So, why run in the circle of the foolish? Especially since it will make you look foolish. "The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good" (Psalms 14:1).

    Last of all, if it brings harm to you or to someone else then you must draw the line. Do not try to build your success on another person's pain. This is not a stable foundation. A home that is not built on a solid foundation will eventually start falling apart and will rapidly crumble down. Jesus is our foundation. He is our success. Anything other than Christ is not the everlasting way. Those that follows Him will obey Him. A person who says they are of Christ but does the complete opposite of what He says, is not of Him. "But why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to me, and hears my sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great" (Luke 6: 46-49).

    Brothers and sisters, as believers in Christ (who is the way, the truth and the life), we may struggle as we strive to reach our life-long goals. However, we don't have to lose heart. We do not and must not forsake the faith. Stay in the faith and run with perseverance. A song writer said that "trials come to make you strong, that's why we wait. Wait I say on the Lord". 

    Be like King David and wait patiently on the Lord. In the end, the Lord will hear you and you will win. 

    So, be of good courage and wait I say on the Lord.

Tyeshia Alston

@ Tyeshia's Chronicles

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