Was 2023 a Successful Year? Ask Yourself These 5 Questions
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In some capacity, we all work. Some of us work for pay, while others volunteer. For some, their job is with a company that is outside the home. For others, their job is taking care of the home.
Regardless of the work you do, if you find work that is both gratifying and fulfilling, then you have found success. So many people go to work and hate what they do. If this past year you can say you love the work you do and you find contentment in it, then you, my friend, have had a successful year.
How did you perform in the tasks you were assigned this year? Did you mail it in, or did you give your best effort? If you have done your best in everything you put your hands to do this past year, then you have been successful. While you cannot control the results, if you do the right activities to the best of your ability, and you repeat them consistently, the results will eventually follow. However, if you have done your best, that is all God requires of you.
When people looked at you this past year, what image of Jesus did they see? Since you are a Christian, you don’t just carry his name, you are his ambassador. This means you are his representative on the earth. When God looks at the way you represented Jesus this past year what would he say?
Our job as believers is to shine light and point people to Christ. Think about your interactions with people, your attitudes, even your thoughts towards others. How do those measure up? If they were exposed to the world (thankfully many times they are not) would those things bring honor to the name of Jesus, or would it cause his name shame?
Regardless of what you have “accomplished,” if it doesn’t represent Christ well or bring his name glory, then there is no way you can define it as success.
While it is great to be successful, we must be careful in whose eyes we want to be seen as a success. That’s why reflecting on your actions and your motives is such a necessary thing to do. Many of the things the world values are temporary and will pass away. If you judge your success by those things, then you may be disappointed when you come to the end of your life.
However, if you measure your success by focusing on the things God values, then you will have a significant life. This does not mean you will be rich, famous, or have the things the world deems as the markers of success. What it means is you will live a life that has value and that leaves a lasting impression on those who have been around you.
As we close out 2023, take time to reflect on the things that matter most and let’s strive to be the people God has called us to be. Maybe that is the measure of success we should all be striving for.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Ralf Geithe
