Bowing Down to Success (pt. 3 of Idol Week)

If you are even remotely familiar with “Strength Finders” than you are probably aware of what someone with the Achiever strength looks like.  Acheivers live in a state of constant drive.  Every day is a new opportunity for accomplishment.  There’s no doubt that the Achiever has an important God-given strength and is vital to the movement of ministry.  But I have found in my own life that when the desire for achievement is motivated by the personal “SUCCESS” or affirmation cleverly hidden beneath the task – the achiever begins to dabble in some good old fashioned Idol Worship.

Unfortunately it happens far too often in ministry.  It can bring about great destruction, pain, and deep disapointment the longer it goes unrecognized and unconfessed.  You may have experienced it personally.

• Has there ever been a moment when you have gotten to the end of your Sunday Service or Gathering and you were disappointed with the amount of people that showed up (or didn’t) and you found yourself exaggerating about or “rounding up” the amount of people that were really there (aka – “Pastor Math”).
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• Do you ever find that on the off chance you receive positive feedback from someone, your whole attitude about the ministry is good?  But if (when) you get an e-mail from someone that is disappointed with a decision that you made then your general attitude about the ministry is bad.
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• Do the comments, suggestions, and opinions of others about your performance have a disproportionate bearing on your decision-making and your ability to actually listen to what God is saying to you about the ministry?

If so, than perhaps your own personal desire for SUCCESS has become an idol for you.  I wonder how many of us who fall down at the feet of the Idol of Personal Success would have the guts to admit here?  For those who can, you gotta remember this – You are not alone.  Sadly here are far too many of us than we would ever imagine in this imaginary spiritual competition.  And this is not what God created us for.  But there is hope!  It just means that something is gonna end up in the fire.

So, what can you do TODAY to recognize that this is you idol and throw that sucker into the fire as a sacrifice to God?  That one defiant act can bring more glory and praise and delight to the one true God than you could ever possibly imagine.

Some Similar Thoughts...

• Bow Down to Nothing But God (pt. 4 of Idol Week)
• Success is the Enemy of…(fill in the blank)