How to define success in the new year
The last couple of weeks, I took a much needed break from creating to do a lot of being. Honestly, I found the downtime to be so difficult, a painful taste of my own medicine. I found myself evaluating and re-evaluating what I thought of these past months and what I wanted from this coming year.
But how do we even begin to measure a year and all of its facets? How do we decide what is worthy of our time and energy in the year to come?
When we consider what we have accomplished or how we have grown, we tend to think in terms of goodness. Was the year good? Was my work output good enough? Were my relationships good? Was I good enough at all of the roles I juggle?
I think the Lord wants to reorient us around being fruitful over seeking typical measures of success.
Fruitfulness is one of the Bible’s preeminent definitions of “success,” but it can feel intangible, even unreachable, because it's not what most of us learned to focus on.
A few thoughts on why fruitfulness is important, to get us started….
Fruitfulness is not about us or our goodness; it requires partnership with God because He is the source of it. It is the one thing that sets us apart as Christians.
Fruitfulness can happen in any season of life, whether circumstances feel easy or terrible, because it’s not about getting things right but about doing it God’s way.
Fruitfulness comes with surrender, allowing God to take what little we have to offer and shape us.
Goodness and that feeling of fulfillment or success end up being a byproduct of God working in and through us, not something we earn.
A simple and clarifying way of evaluating where you are and where you want to be at the end of this year…
Consider the spheres of your life - family, friendships, work, community, hobbies/passions, church, etc. For each one take a quick inventory. Do you see fruitfulness there - growth, joy, contentment, partnering with God? Or do you see struggle, striving, drought? Which parts of your life are thriving and which need a shift? Be honest with yourself.
You might find that a part of your life that others see as successful is actually not bringing you joy or is feeling overwhelming. You might recognize that a fruitful part of life is one no one else sees or recognizes. Take note of what is working for you and what feels aligned with God’s purposes and thank God for the good that you see there.
Next, in those drier areas of life, ask God to meet you right where you are and to give you an idea for your next step forward. You don’t have to plan for months from now. (Isn’t that refreshing!?) You can just ask for the next move.
God, how do I live more in step with you, and allow you to be part of this area of life in a way that allows it to be fruitful?
Your life might feel really barren in some areas, but know that since the Garden of Eden each of us was called to steward the lives we were given and to be fruitful. There is life and beauty waiting for you in the middle of it all.
Scripture for meditation
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in HIm. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”
- Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV)
Prompts to consider
How does this idea of fruitfulness instead of success as a measurement hit you? Does it feel foreign or difficult? Does it feel like a fresh possibility?
What are the things you have done in the past personally or in community that have felt fruitful to you, or times when you saw a lot of growth in your life?
What are some next steps you feel God is asking you to take?
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