Living Successfully - Spiritual Answers for Modern Day Desires: Part 1

Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts, and see if any wicked way is in me; and lead me in the way everlasting

Let me start by saying that this is not another "How To" article that are so common and successful in today's world. This series of article's will try to go much deeper than the "how" and answer the "why".

To explain, I must start with a supper my wife and I had with a couple of good friends and mentors not so long ago. I was asking many questions that we often ask of people we hold in high regard. People we view as being "wise". Without realizing what I was doing, I kept asking question after question that focused on the "how's" of accomplishing certain thoughts, ideas, and where I thought God was leading myself, and our family.

You know, the ones that look like this, "If I feel God telling me this, how do I walk that out?.I read this in the Word the other day, how is that relevant to me, draw me a picture of what that looks like and how I get there, etc?." Sound familiar? I was explaining and verbalizing all these questions to Dan, one of the friends sitting at the table. I could see that he was being courteous and letting me verbalize my frustrations and thoughts. As I was catching my breath, he interrupted me and simply said. "Darren, you will never be satisfied with just knowing how. Remember, that a person who knows "how" will always follow a person who knows "why". You must find out the "why" in everything you do"

This series will hopefully give ideas and thoughts, that I believe are important steps in "how" one grows and lives out a successful, God honouring life. But more importantly, I hope to start us in the quest of finding out the "why". Why do we have the desires in our hearts that are there? Are they personal desires that we are actually fooling ourselves with? Why must we make difficult decisions to reach our goals?

Once we understand the why's the, 'how to's" become clear and sometimes not even relevant at all. This first article starts by giving the answer, that we so often just gloss over. The answer to "why" things are as they are or have to be. It is because He loves us, and He delights in us. (He being Jesus Christ) He wants us to be successful and happy and find peace and joy in all we do. He places stepping stones just big enough to reach, but that challenge us at the same time. It is always up to us to take the next step. Why would we want to? It is in our makeup as humans to please the creator of the world, to please our heavenly Father. To one day hear the powerful yet gentle voice speaking to us lovingly saying, "Well done my good and faithful servant" You see, the "why" is simple. At our deepest core, we long to serve the King of kings. To know that our Father is pleased and that He smiles every time He looks and thinks about you and me. This book is about giving the Great I am, back the central part of our lives. After all, He is the "why" in all everything we do. Without the "why" we will never be satisfied with all the answers, steps and how to's the world can offer us. Success will always be just out of reach. Unfortunately it is so incredibly easy for us to become sidetracked, and lose focus of the main goal, which is Christ. It's funny, because so often we honestly believe He is number one in our lives, but yet if we would allow Him to search our hearts and motives, the answer would surprise us, or maybe not at all, since we humans are all so good at hiding behind false pretences. But please take the time to re-evaluate your heart right now, and ask the Holy Spirit to show you your true motives, and to see if the "why" , which is Christ Jesus, is truly the motivating factor in all you do.

Psa 139:23 Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I'm about;

Lord, once you have looked at our lives, hold nothing back from us. Show us for what we are so that we may see and be encouraged to move forward into the great plans you have in store for us.

Darren currently owns and is involved with various online marketing and property management companies. He is also activley involved in his home church and speaks publicly, on a small scale, challenging people of all ages to grab hold of their God given desires and to fulfill them through a God honouring life. Any questions or requests can be forwarded directly to the email below. darren@herbolds.com