Is it okay to try to be successful in this life?

Psalm 60:12With God’s help we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.

Psalm 84:11The Lord God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The Lord will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right.

Proverbs 12:24Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.

Proverbs 22:29Do you see any truly competent workers? They will serve kings rather than working for ordinary people.

There are many godly character traits that, if applied to life, can bring material success (hard work, integrity, commitment, serving others, planning). Those committed to God shouldn’t make success their primary focus, but pursuing the qualities of a godly person can sometimes lead to their success.

Genesis 39:2-3The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master. Potiphar noticed this and realized that the Lord was with Joseph, giving him success in everything he did.

Exodus 33:14The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.”

Job 42:12-17So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning. . . . Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life.

Throughout the Scriptures, there are references to God’s material blessings for his people. God allows his people to have material blessings, but urges them never to forget the One who provided them. It is always a bad investment to sacrifice spiritual wealth to pursue worldly wealth.

Proverbs 16:3Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.

Earthly success can be a worthwhile goal, but commitment to God is even more worthwhile. Only when our work is done from a position of commitment to God can we consider ourselves to be truly successful.