What Are God’s Promises for Your Success at Your Work?預覽

Introduction

In this series of readings, we will dig through the Bible to find what it says about success, especially in your working life and material results.

Finding what the Bible has to say about this will answer many questions around the topic of success, including:    

• Does God want me to be successful at work?    
• How does God’s plan for my success look?    
• Are promotion & growth part of God’s plan?    
• How can I achieve it?

You may have wondered about one or more of these questions or have others to add to the list. So now, we’re going to dig into the Bible – God’s Word – to find out what His success for your working life looks like and how you might best achieve it. 

In doing so, we’re going to look at several examples where God gave his blessing and bestowed success for all to see. Then, we’ll check the various promises of success scattered throughout the Bible and see what God’s plan is for those in your life today. 

Let’s start our series by thinking of the most successful people in the Bible. Who would you put on this list? Take a moment just now to close your eyes and come up with the three persons who might qualify for this.

Did you come up with three examples? That must’ve been a bit difficult. After all, there are so many men and women in the Bible blessed by God in different ways. And, putting someone on the list depends on the definition of “success.” You might have included any of these people:    

• Abraham – material blessings & God’s promise    
• David – victory in battle    
• Solomon – great wealth & wisdom    
• Elijah – persistent obedience    
• Job – faithfulness & commitment    
• Esther – boldness & results    
• Mary – bravery & willingness to serve    
• Jesus – perfection    
• Peter – overcoming weakness to lead

God’s plan for success was different for different people. In the same way, God’s plan for your success is specially designed for you also. 

As a side note, just as you wouldn’t compare people in the above list to see who was “more successful” than another, you also shouldn’t do that for yourself today either. God’s plan for your success is as unique and individual as you are.

You may already be familiar with today’s scripture reading: the Prayer of Jabez. Some years ago, this verse gained broad popularity for expressing God’s desire to grant material blessing as a measure of success to those He loves. But, as we shall see, God’s plan for your success is likely not quite as simple as that.

However, God may want to grant you such success that you can measure by an “expansion of your territory” in your daily work.  Let’s close today’s reading with a version of the Prayer of Jabez personalized to the specific blessings for success that you might seek from God:

“Oh, that you would bless me and _________________________________! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”   – 1 Chronicles 4:9a

Reflection / Application  

1. When you reflect on Bible characters blessed by God, who comes to mind? What type of success did they achieve?    
2. What measures of success have you already seen in your work? Do you see these as blessings from God?    
3. As you pray the Prayer of Jabez, what replaced Jabez’s request for enlarging his territory in your prayer?