From the Heart
Monthly Column by Aimee Clark

What is success? Is it having enough money for the things you desire? Is it having your own version of the “American dream”? Is it being happy? Okay, what is happiness? I imagine many of you have your own ideas about what it takes to be happy, or be successful. But what does the Bible say?

Jeremiah was still quite young when the Lord called him to prophesy over Israel. In fact, many of the 52 chapters in the book of Jeremiah are prophesies of the destruction of Israel. Jeremiah, like so many of us, wasn’t quite sure if God knew what He was doing. The Bible records Jeremiah’s response to the Lord’s call.

“Then I said, ‘Alas, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, because I am a youth.’ But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ because everywhere I send you, you shall go… Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you…” (Jeremiah 1:6-8).

A dear friend presented me with my current Bible five years. She knew I was struggling in my faith walk, so she made sure to get one that had explanations of the verses on the bottom of every page. I have always been thankful for that! The ‘Bible helps’ say this about Jeremiah, “In the world’s eyes, Jeremiah looked totally unsuccessful. He had no money, family, or friends… Yet as we look back, we see that he successfully completed the work God gave him to do. Success must never be measured by popularity, fame, or fortune, for these are temporal measures… God measures our success with the yardsticks of obedience, faithfulness, and righteousness. If you are faithfully doing the work God gives you, you are successful in His eyes.”

Well, I don’t know about you, but that is SO reassuring to me. We don’t have to keep up with what the world thinks is right or cool. How can you measure success by the world’s standards, if the standards keep changing? Years ago, if a woman was married with children and her husband could support them with his job, you were a success. Nowadays, society would have us believe that to rely on your husband for financial support is wrong, even sexist. Feminists insist that a woman can be anything she wants to be, but she would never want to be a homemaker or a stay-at-home mom.

Regardless of what the current popular opinion may be, I believe that a woman can be anything she wants. That includes a doctor, homemaker, lawyer, teacher, stay-at-home mom, and any other occupation you can list. God has created each of us separate and unique from one another. It might be your calling to create a loving environment for your family within your home. Or maybe to spend 40 hours of your week helping customers pick out the right makeup, or perfect new house. There is not a pyramid of importance when it comes to fulfilling your role as a woman of God. There is no job more important than the other. What is important is that you are fulfilling your role -- not what someone else thinks your role should be, but what God says your role should be.

At the end of the day, you are still you. You can earn a college degree, raise 10 children, or become a millionaire. You can even do all three! But when you walk down a path that the Lord has not set you on, you will never know true happiness. It is only when you are true to yourself, true to the woman that the Lord created you to be, that you will find success. Be happy within yourself. Don’t let anyone else tell you how to live. Let go, and let God.

About the Author: Aimee is a proud Army wife. She and her husband, Justin, have a spoiled little Beagle named Athena. Aimee loves to sing, write, and cook. She is currently writing (and living!) in the house of her husband’s grandparents, while Justin finishes his Basic Training.