True Success: Live and Lead Without Losing Your SoulSample

I was on a deadline. A good and godly deadline, I might add.

I'd promised a client that I’d deliver something by the end of the day, and I was determined to keep my word. This mattered: to them, to me, and, I believed, to God.

So I sat down, opened my computer, and dove in.

Then the software I needed glitched. Their support chat was offline, and the help section was anything but helpful.

Still eager to serve my client well, I jumped into my inbox and fired off a quick email to the tech department, asking— well, begging —for help.

And as I clicked send, I saw it.

The email wasn’t rude exactly, but it was definitely terse. It carried an edge of irritation and showed no awareness that a real, live, created-in-the-image-of-God person would be reading it.

Then, with a dramatic whoosh, it was gone, my email signature trailing behind with its tagline in tow.

Helping You Live and Work at the Pace of Grace

Ouch.

I cringed, not because I had failed at the task, but because I had missed the tone of Jesus.

Was the email laced with grace? Full of his love? Or was it willful, impatient, and only focused on me?

In my rush to do God’s will, I had completely forgotten to do it God’s way.

I was trying to serve well and keep my word, but in the process, I overlooked the most important part. I had missed the way of love.

By now, we’ve seen that success in God’s eyes is more than just doing the right thing. It begins with doing God’s will, but that is only part of the picture.

True success also means doing things God’s way, with a heart that reflects his character.

God’s way is not rushed or reactive. It is shaped by love, grounded in grace, and centered on him.

I Corinthians 13 puts it plainly. I can speak with eloquence, understand deep spiritual truths, have faith that moves mountains, give everything I own to help others, and even sacrifice my body. But if I do any of it without love, I gain nothing. Not a little. Not almost. Nothing.

Because in God’s kingdom, love is not optional. Love is the way.

Jesus modeled this beautifully.

He didn’t just heal. He noticed.
He didn’t just teach. He listened.
He didn’t just correct. He loved.

Remember his conversation with the woman at the well? He was tired and hungry after a long day of travel. But he slowed down. He asked questions. He listened deeply. And in the end, she felt so seen and so loved that she ran to tell her whole village.

That is what God’s way looks like.

And so I have to ask myself daily:

• Am I doing this for God, or with him?
• Am I rushing, reacting, or responding in love?
• Would someone feel cared for in the way I’m handling this conversation?

These questions help me slow down and sync my steps with the Spirit.

Because the fruit of the Spirit isn’t just about the harvest. It's about the tone of our lives as we plant, water, and wait.

God’s way may be slower. It may be quieter. It may cost me my pride or efficiency. But it will always bear the fragrance of his love.

That kind of success may never make headlines. It echoes in heaven.

Prayer
Lord, I don’t want to serve you in a way that misrepresents you. Help me walk in step with your Spirit today. Show me not just what you want me to do, but how you want me to do it—with love, gentleness, and grace.

Have you ever walked in obedience, and it still felt like nothing was happening? Tomorrow, we’ll look at the part of success that makes us want to quit and the gift hidden in it.