Recently my dear sweet wife gave me a shocking and abrupt slap in the face. I don’t think she knows that she did it since it was not a physical slap but a principle slap. By that I mean she reminded me of a key life principle that perhaps I had been neglecting.
We were having a discussion and I was commenting on my frustration that I have yet to figure out how my life fits into the will of God. I want to be successful and for me that means owning a profitable group of restaurants, being able to hone and focus my culinary skills, and to be an example of hard work and success for my children.
The slap came when my wife said, “Do you think you deserve to be successful?”
I didn’t have an answer. I started a mental checklist of those items that I believe lead to success:
- Energy
- Perserverance
- Endurance
- Righteous Goals
- Preparation
- Contentment
- Gratitude
- Faith & Hope
I have to admit that I am lacking in some of these areas. Contentment has always been a tough one for me because I’m afraid it will lead to complacency or worse apathy. I could spend more time with my faith in me and God. I could be more prepared.
There are so many in this world who wish to be successful in some manner. There are those who want to be rich; those who simply want to excel at the career they have chosen; those who want to be better parents. But we never DO anything about those wishes and desires. Wishing and hoping is not enough. But neither is an eye single to the glory of self.
No, my dear wife, I don’t deserve to be successful…not yet. I hope I will be soon.
