Persecuted for Success

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

My mother started with this poem by Marianne Williamson in a speech she prepared for a group of speakers at a recent conference. I was intrigued and elated to hear this poem, because it speaks to a recent situation that my wife and I faced in our life. I truly believe that God has a destiny for all of us and it doesn’t include, toil, strife, or lack. Success can be a very threatening thing to your peers.

The best gift you can give a person other than the word of God and love; is opportunity, the opportunity to change their lives, the opportunity to learn what you have learned; the opportunity to shine. Let me first define my definition of success. Success is a relationship with God, a Godly relationship with your spouse. Your children are raised knowing and living the word of God. You are running your business or working by the word of God. Success is not just money in the bank, but success doesn’t exclude money in the bank. True success incorporates all the above mentioned. In my opinion you can’t be successful and lack one of these traits.

As you give opportunities to people who come into your life, things will not always work out the way you envision. All we can do as children of God is present opportunity for people to succeed, but it is 100% up to the person receiving the opportunity to capitalize on the opportunity presented before them. God gave everyone of us a passion; he gave everyone of us a vision of what we want to do with or life; he gave us dreams. A lot of time we attach ourselves to the dreams of others, hoping to gain, wealth, recognition or prestige. When you attach yourself to the dreams of someone else you are missing what God has for you. I am not saying that you can’t do anything you set your mind to, because you can. We are made in the image of the most high, our minds have unlimited power. In many cases God appoints us as the supporter or the ladder holder for the vision that he has for someone, in this case you are in line with the call of God. Sometimes your supporting cast or your ladder holders will make an attempt to fulfill the vision that God has for you, because they feel they are better equipped for the job, or they believe that the only way to success is through them. When this happens, confusion and failure is at hand.

When someone fails at a new opportunity that they were given, they automatically blame the person who gave them the opportunity. When you blame others you don’t learn and you don’t grow. In my short life I have made mistakes, and have experienced so much adversity, so many set backs. I have lost homes, lost cars, lost friends, been on welfare, and that is just the half of it. Where would I be today if I blamed other people for my struggles? Where would I be if I blamed other people for not being able to provide for my family? I tell you one thing, I would not be writing this blog. It is easier to blame others for your mistakes; it makes you feel better to blame someone else. It makes you look better when you are explaining the situation to someone else or your spouse. Blaming others is just another way of making an excuse. I heard a pastor say “Excuses are nothing but nails used to build a house of failure”. Believe me when I say, when you blame others it does not hurt the person you are blaming, you are hurting yourself.

As a leader and a business owner I have been blamed, judged, dragged through the mud, and made to be ungodly. Of course as a leader I had to learn how to lead and made mistakes on my journey. I believe that is apart of being different. When I say different, I mean not conforming or doing what others do, not following the crowd and breaking away from the herd. There comes a time in everyone’s life when a decision has to be made, the decision to settle for an ordinary life or to do better. There is absolutely nothing wrong with an ordinary life, I know a lot of people who are very happy and would not change a thing, but some people are destined to achieve more. God won’t let them settle for ordinary. It is not in their blood, it is not part of their make-up. I think those type of people are persecuted, blamed, talked about and made to be arrogant or ungodly because of their un-dying, burning desire to succeed and never quit no matter what. As mention in the above poem we are to never shelter the greatness that God has for us, we should never shelter our talents and desires so that others won’t feel bad. People will hate you, talk about you, but never stop, never give in. There is nothing wrong with reaching for a better life for you and your family. People will persecute you for your success, but don’t fall for it, don’t be fooled. Live life the way God wants you to, and don’t be shaken by haters. Remember on your journey there will be pain, there will be, adversity, there will people who will walk out of your life, let them walk. You will have to sacrifice, not everyone will understand you, they don’t need to they have no idea what is in your heart. It is hard to understand something that you don’t know. You will have pain, but you have to push through the pain.

In conclusion I leave you with a quote from Lance Armstrong.

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”

Grace & Blessings