Reader’s Corner

Christian books can help us to study and understand God’s word and apply it in our lives.  In this column, I will offer reviews, summaries, or excerpts from books that have helped me grow in my walk with the Lord.

 Success God’s Way by Charles Stanley  

This book starts with the premise that God wants us to be successful.  The author talks about what it means to be successful in God’s eyes and how that relates to God’s call on our lives.  He defines success as “the continuing achievement of becoming the person God wants you to be and accomplishing the goals God has helped you set.”  Stanley reminds the reader that the Bible is God’s success manual.  He notes how God made us with a built in desire to succeed.  The drive that God built into you “can be directed into lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life.  Or it can be directed into a pursuit of the things of God and the success that God has planned for you.” God expects us to use this drive he built into us in right ways.  

Stanley addresses the issue of striving versus contentment stating “One of the great mysteries of the Christian life is that we can be very content and at the same time press toward more goals the Lord has laid upon our hearts to achieve and accomplish.”  He uses biblical examples of Moses, Joseph, and King David to illustrate patterns of success. 

 The book emphasizes the importance of setting goals in order to be successful.  Here are some more detailed excerpts from Chapter 6 “Pursuing God’s Goals for Your Life”: 

Doing Things God’s Way:

1. Write down your goals in a clear, concise manner.

2.  Any goal that is truly of God will have a fervency about it, a built in urgency, a passion that mirrors the passionate heart of God.

3.  You must have confidence you will reach your goal.  “Your confidence rest not in your ability or desire alone, but in the God who gave you the goal and the consuming desire to reach it….”

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”  Phil. 4:13

Don’t be easily dissuaded or disheartened.

4.  A course of action is required for any goal to be met.  Major goals require a sequence of steps. Map out a plan or strategy. 

5.  Set deadlines for yourself to perform the steps required to meet your goal.  “It is amazing what happens when you put a date next to a goal.” (p. 87)

6.  Enlist the cooperation of others in working toward your goal.  No goal that God gives to an individual is set in isolation.  “He may single out a man or woman to lead a particular task or to be the rallying point for a particular project, but in the end, God desires that many people be involved in the goals that he gives to us.” (p. 89)

7.  You must be consistent in pursuit of your goals.  If you truly believe God has helped you set a goal, do not allow anyone to deter you, stall you, or hinder you as you pursue it.  Don’t let criticism and rejection bog you down.  If you do, you are being more concerned with a person’s acceptance than God’s acceptance and love.  Focus on God’s love, God’s call, God’s help, God’s approval, God’s rewards.  He will not disappoint you, fail you, reject you, or criticize the things that you do with a heart of love and a desire to obey.

8.  You must control your emotions.  Negative emotions can not only deter you from taking necessary steps forward, they can sap your energy and put you into a state of exhaustion, discouragement and even depression.  Take charge over fear.  Encourage others and yourself.

9.  Have the courage to act.  The best way to acquire courage is reading God’s word.  Choose to develop friendships and working relationships with people who are realistic about life, yet positive when it comes to overcoming obstacles.  Choose to be around those who are energetic and enthusiastic about life and who aren’t afraid to take risks and tackle tough problems. 

“When a man is willing to burn every bridge behind him and cut every rope of escape and move toward his goal he cannot lose.” (p. 97)

10.  Have a conscious dependence on God.  God desires that you depend on him.

Chapter 8 Roadblocks To Your Success

Fear and doubt– the uneasy feeling that we are inadequate.  Ask yourself what are you really afraid of?  Failure? Criticism? Rejection? Faith is the opposite of fear.  Keep your eyes on Jesus.  Stay in God’s Word.  Surround yourself with encouragers. Ask others to pray for you. Nothing good in life comes without a struggle against fear. Believing you can achieve God’s goal is vital to reaching a God-given goal.   Nobody else can do what he created you to do.

Other roadblocks examined are Excuses ,Procrastination,Greed, Sin, and Slothfulness. 

In Chapter 10 Stanley discusses the role of the attitude in achieving success.  A point I found very interesting related to marriage and parenting.  He notes that how you think about your spouse is the way you will treat him or her.  If you think him unworthy of your love you will treat him that way.  If you think of her as a gift from God you will treat your spouse with much greater kindness.  The same principle holds true for your relationship with your children.  How you think about a child results in the way you speak to that child and how you treat that child.  If you think of your son as an annoyance, it will come out in your words and actions towards him.  Stanley recommends telling your child often about God’s love for him and the wonderful and purposeful future God has planned for him.