I thought I knew what it looked like to be successful. To be successful, you made honor roll every grading period. To be successful, you won. To be successful you were conference champion, or state champion, or a record holder. Success was high paying careers and big bank accounts. It was marrying the right person into the right family. It was followers, subscribers, likes, and comments. Success happened when beauty met brains. To be successful, you reaped the fruit of all you “when hard work meets talent” efforts.
I was not wrong. Being successful can look like that. Those are definite signs of success. But if these were the only signs of success, then some “successful” people would not be committing suicide and celebrities would not have mental breakdowns. Mental health and minimalist movements would cease to exist. There would not be big money in shows about little houses.
So, knowing this, what does it really look like to be successful?
To be successful, play your role.
I did not understand for the longest that my role was necessary. The show could go on without me. I could not organize it. I constantly got lost in the details. I did not have the patience for the research and the planning. My timing was always off. My paperwork was never in order, and I certainly could not contribute to the funding…
…but I loved the people. I loved to be a part of the show. I love to watch them – to interact with them. I had to be a part of the show because I had to be with those people.
Only recently did I find out that the people were my role. The people needed me to play my role. The people needed a cheerleader. The people needed encouragement. They needed a sympathetic ear and a helping hand. They needed someone to share in their drama, their victories, and their defeat. Some people could not put on their show without my role. Their success hinged on me playing my part. They needed a coach. They needed a mom, a wife, a teacher, and a friend.
The show needs your role. Maybe you can cook. Maybe you can clean. Maybe you can style hair, or wardrobes, or rooms. Maybe you can speak well. Maybe you can write well. Maybe you can organize or plan. You can do something well…so well you do not even recognize it as a gift. You have a purpose. The show will fall apart without it. To be successful, you have to use what comes naturally to you. The show cannot go on without your part.
To be successful, you must adjust in the white space.
If you do not already have white space, you need to make white space. Even the best of planners cannot account for things they could not possibly see coming. Life has a way of hitting you with the unexpected – both good and bad. Sometimes you lose your job unexpectedly. Sometimes the opportunity of your dreams falls into your lap unexpectedly.
I saw being a mom and a wife in my future, but all the plans in the world cannot prepare you for the realities of motherhood and wife life. I went from mom of two to mom of three in a matter of weeks. I did not have 9 months to prepare my mind and my home for the change. I had to adjust…and to adjust, I needed white space.
You need white space. You need room for adjustments both expected and unexpected. To be successful you must have the ability to adapt when the situation calls for change.
To be successful, you must trust God to do His job.
Your job is not to know the final result. Your job is not to figure it all out. Your success depends on neither of those factors. You find your purpose. You play your role. You rest. You adjust, and then you let God work. You trust that He knows what He is doing.
I read a blog yesterday that mentioned my favorite verse.
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
She focused on three words…”and we know.”
Knowing means believing. Believing means trusting. Trusting means accepting that even your best made plans for success may pale in comparison to God’s perfect will for you life.
I constantly question, “What if this does not work?” What if I do all of this work, and I fail? What if I put all these hours with my track team and they lose? What if I do all this prepping for my students and they do not pass the state test? What if my children grow up to be menaces to society? What if my husband leaves after he discovers I am too broken? What if I invest all of this money into what I think God is calling me to do and the project does not succeed?
“If you think you’ve blown God’s plan for your life, rest in this. You, my beautiful friend, are not that powerful.” (Lisa Bevere)
Even if what takes place does not match the picture you had in your mind, remember God’s plan trumps yours. He used your plan to be successful – to create beauty out of life’s worst tragedies. God cannot fail.
Sometimes He gives exactly what we ask Him to give us. Other times, He gives us something better. Trust that even in your disappointments, God is saving your life and the lives of those around you. Trust that He is good and what He has for you is good.
***
To be successful you must find you role, play your role, adjust your role and then trust God to take care of the rest. Success is peace with the person you were then, are now, and will become. To be successful, find that person, be that person, adjust that person and give that person, in her blended beauty of gifts and flaws, to God.
***
What are some ways that you know to be successful?
Comment below or connect with me: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat: mrsbonnaffons.
Leave your email so that I can send success strategies straight to your inbox.
Check out some of my other articles on purpose and success:
Finding Your Purpose – What is Your Why?
Dream Bigger – Overcoming Doubt and Discouragement
You are definitely playing your role of encourager! I always enjoy your writing and am encouraged every time. Sometimes it is so hard to see that our role is important, because we may look at the role as minimal or not grand enough.And, I find myself sometimes with alot of questions as well. But, if we look at our failures as a part of God’s plan as well, that is still successful. Continue your great work!
LikeLike
Very informative.
LikeLike
Loved your thoughts here! It’s a constant struggle for me to recognize and accept that success in God’s Kingdom looks different than success in the world’s kingdom!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. It is for me too. It’s also a struggle for me to let Him do His work without my 2 cents every few seconds about how it’s not looking like I thought it should look.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Amen and amen, Brittany! So often we get this all wrong and we can know when we are because we feel stressed, envious and bitter. Thanks for these important reminders and for showing up to be the wife, mom, encourager that you are in all of our lives, my friend! Pinning this for sure! Hugs to you!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much! Hugs to you. I’ve been trying to work in staying positive more, and not letting my looking around at the gifts of others deter me from God’s work in my own life.
LikeLike
great post; I must admit it took me a long time to arrive at the point of being okay with not knowing the end. That van truly be a deterrent for being successful
LikeLiked by 2 people
I am still working at acceptance! It’s ongoing for me.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Amen! Powerful post that definitely spoke to me!! And now the challenge…working on giving it over to God and accepting that what I CAN do is enough. What I CAN do is exactly what God WANTS me to do! Powerful stuff, Brittany. Thank you 🙂 God Bless!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes. God only needs what we can do. He will cover the rest 🙌🏽
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is amazing advice. Too often we judge success by accomplishment instead of by faith or trust.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes we sure do. I have to catch myself so frequently.
LikeLike
You nailed it- believing and trusting in Him is the key. We do our best, make changes as led, and put it all in His hands. Amen!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes!! That’s all I can really do!!
LikeLike
Ooohhhh…I have sooo many words for this post, but trapped in grading. Crying too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😘😘😘 I am always crying. Nothing new for me 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love this post, Brittany! So true we get caught up in what seems like success from the outside looking in. But it comes from the inside looking out. Love the points to simply play our role and to trust God to do His job! Amen!
LikeLike
Thank you so much Karen. I’m learning bit by bit to trust Him more.
LikeLike
Girl, YES!!! This is something that I am just now learning. trusting and seeking God’s will for me, while playing the part He has called me to.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That is my entire purpose, and it is definitely a learning experience.
LikeLike
Great write up and encouragement!!
I really love this truth too:
“If you think you’ve blown God’s plan for your life, rest in this. You, my beautiful friend, are not that powerful.” (Lisa Bevere)
LikeLike
It is one of my favorite quotes that I have ever read. Thank you 💕
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome!! Very sweet!!
LikeLike
I love this. As a type-A, ambitious and driven woman who is also a Christian, my understanding of success has drastically changed over the years as my faith walk has deepened. I especially love this part here that you said: “Your job is not to know the final result. Your job is not to figure it all out. Your success depends on neither of those factors. You find your purpose. You play your role. You rest. You adjust, and then you let God work. You trust that He knows what He is doing.” AMEN. 100%!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have had to learn this lesson over and over Jessica!!
LikeLike
Brittany, I love this! It’s so easy to think we can’t be successful unless we have all the things, and do all the things just perfectly. But, you’re right! We’re successful when we play our roles with contentment, and trust God to give us what we need when He calls us to step outside of that. Thank you for writing this!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have to remind myself all the time, especially when my to do list it ridiculously long and I feel like I am getting nowhere and nothing accomplished. God does not need me to do it all or know it all. He needs me to appreciate what I am doing where I am now.
LikeLike
“To be successful you must trust God to do His job”. So good! I often catch myself relying on me instead of God and in many ways ‘playing God’. I’m so thankful I don’t have to be Him because we all know He does it perfectly better.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m so glad that He knows better because I have definitely been known to get it wrong.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Play your role and trust God…love that! Whatever seasons we go through will help us grow in some way if we hold on to joy and look for God’s hand in our lives.
LikeLike
I loved the quote that if you think you’ve blown Gods plan for your life, you’re not that powerful. Isn’t that the truth? We work so hard to fulfill our plans for success when all along, its about Gods plan. Success means following Him!
LikeLiked by 2 people
You are so right. It was never about us anyway!!
LikeLike
Yes!! That’s exactly it. I just have to trust Him.
LikeLike
I love what you shared here. So much Godly wisdom on what it looks like to be successful. I feel like we are on similar journeys. I’m stuck in-between worlds… torn by my old ideas of success vs making that white space and trusting God to do His job. I find it hard still to figure out how much is my part. Guess I need to pray & ask!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Girl yes! That’s exactly what I’m doing. Literally, every day I wake up. What’s the plan today God? This is what I plan to get done but I’m open. 😂😂
LikeLike
Wise experience-based words, Brittany!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much Mitch!
LikeLiked by 1 person