Success or significance?

Do you remember being asked the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”  I can still remember my first answer to that question.  I said, “I’m going to be a scientist.”  This wasn’t because I loved science; I just thought it would be cool to mix chemicals and make them explode.  

 

Most of us never became what we dreamed of as children. As I got older, my goal shifted. I decided that I wanted to be “successful.” To me, success meant business. So I studied business, earned a BA, CPA and an MBA.  I wanted as many “A”s after my name as possible so I could be successful.  I landed a promising career in downtown Chicago. By all appearances, I was successful.  Yet at the age of 29, I was miserable.  

 

I had an early midlife crisis. I looked down the road and I didn’t like where I was headed.  Even if I reached the pinnacle of my industry, I could see the day when I said the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes 2, “Everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”

 

It took a while to figures this out, but at the heart of my crisis was confusion between two things: success and significance.  I thought I wanted to be successful, but what I really wanted, in my soul, was to be significant.  I wanted to matter, and I wanted a mission in life that was larger than my own advancement.  

 

And that's the heart of every midlife crisis.  The world tells us that financial and material success will fulfill your heart’s desires.  But those things really only bring a moment of pleasure before leaving us asking, “Is that all there is?”

 

Psalm 46 contains one of the most important pieces of advice in the Bible.  And if you are in a midlife crisis, or any crisis for that matter, this is your verse: "Be still, and know that I am God.” If you are worried, stressed, ambitious, striving, whatever – be still.  Know that there is a God. The psalmist knew that in the grand scheme of history, his life was only as significant as his place in God’s kingdom, not his own kingdom.

 

The world constantly tempts us to pursue success while neglecting significance. 

 

Most people would define success using three measurements. First, success means having money and possessions. We see large houses, expensive vehicles, and impressive lifestyles and conclude that those people are successful. Second, success means climbing the ladder. Promotions, bigger paychecks, greater influence, and increasing status are viewed as evidence that we are winning. Third, success means personal autonomy. Success is doing whatever you want, whenever you want. It is having enough money and freedom that nobody can tell you what to do.

 

There is nothing inherently wrong with money, achievement, or freedom. The problem is believing that these things can satisfy the soul. The psalmist reminds us that earthly accomplishments are fragile. Nations rise and fall. Economies change. Wealth disappears. Even mountains can crumble into the sea. If our meaning is tied to temporary things, our significance disappears when those things disappear.

 

That is why God says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Before we can discover true significance, we must stop striving long enough to remember that God is God and we are not.

The Bible teaches that significance grows out of a wholehearted relationship with God. While God’s calling is unique for every person, there are several common marks of a significant life. Jesus completely reversed the world’s value system when He said: “The greatest among you will be your servant.” Most people believe significance comes from being served. Jesus taught that significance comes from serving.

 

When our primary goal is self-promotion, we may achieve success yet still feel empty. 

 

Jesus invites us to see our lives differently. Instead of asking how our careers, resources, and talents can benefit us, we should ask how they can benefit others. Many people spend their working years accumulating possessions and their free time enjoying those possessions. But a life focused solely on comfort and consumption eventually feels hollow.

 

A life devoted to serving others becomes significant because it reflects the heart of Christ. Many people dislike their jobs because they cannot see a greater purpose in them. Yet God often uses our work to provide resources for His kingdom. Whether you manage a business, work a trade, teach school, or sell products, your labor gains eternal significance when it helps advance God’s mission. 

 

God has placed each of us in a particular setting for a reason. The world encourages us to see our current position merely as a stepping stone to something better. But God may have placed us exactly where we are because of the people around us. Your workplace, neighborhood, gym, and community are filled with people who believe that success is the answer to life’s deepest questions. When they encounter someone whose identity is rooted in God rather than achievement, they notice the difference.

 

Customers become more than sources of income. Neighbors become more than competitors. Coworkers become more than people who help us advance our careers. They become people whom Christ loves. Every Christian is an ambassador for Christ. As we live faithfully, serve generously, and trust God, we point others toward Him.

 

The world tells us to pursue success. God calls us to pursue significance. Success is measured by money, status, and personal freedom. Significance is measured by service, generosity, and faithfulness.

 

When we stop striving long enough to listen to God, we discover what truly matters. A significant life is one that serves others, invests in God’s kingdom, and points people to Christ. That kind of life leaves an eternal impact. “Be still, and know that I am God.”