Why It's Impossible for Worldly Success to Satisfy

by Patrick Morley

Worldly success has eluded a Christian friend of mine for his entire life. What's ironic to me is that he is as depressed that he didn't achieve worldly success as I was when I did. Two opposite circumstantial results--same depressive outcome.
There is no sin in worldly success, per se. But because worldly success is such a seductive idol, God in His wisdom has made it impossible for worldly success to satisfy--either by withholding it, removing it, or giving you so much that you gag on it.

The problem is that if you or I could find satisfaction in worldly success apart from God, we would. So to protect us from our own sinful natures, God in His grace frustrates our ambitions when they would destroy us.
And it's not really worldly success we want anyway, but the security, contentment, peace, and joy we think it will give us. By giving--or not giving--us worldly success, our Jealous God is teaching us to be satisfied in Him alone. Enjoy nice things if and when you can, but He is our security, contentment, peace, and joy.