Read 1 Peter 5:5–7

For insight on worldly success, you could comb through hundreds of books on the subject. Let me save you some time by offering you advice on finding God’s perspective. This passage was written by Peter, who learned first-hand from the Master Life Planner how to find true success:

Accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (1 Peter 5:5–7)

Peter offers three simple principles for finding true success—God’s way.

First, submit yourself to those who are wise (verse 5). Listen to their counsel, be open to their reproofs, accept their suggestions, and follow their model. I can count on one hand the times I’ve regretted seeking someone’s opinion on something I was struggling to manage. But I’ve lost track of the times I’ve stubbornly gone my own way and lived to regret it.

Second, humble yourself under God’s mighty hand (verse 6). In the Old Testament, God’s hand symbolizes His discipline and His deliverance. When we humble ourselves under His hand, wanting Him to grant us His kind of success in His time and in His way, we willingly accept His discipline as being for our good and for His glory. We gratefully acknowledge His provision for our need—regardless of the timing or outcome. We back off and let God be God.

Third, throw yourself on the mercy and care of God (verse 7). Anxieties will come. Troubles and disappointments will happen; fears and worries will build up, leaving you weary and depressed. So, what should you do? Throw them back on the Lord! Cast your burdens—your anxieties—on Him, because He cares for you.

Instead of spending all those hours pushing and promoting, try God’s way of success. He may just grant you some time for yourself, plus a few extra hours to go fishing.

Devotional content taken from Good Morning, Lord...Can We Talk? by Charles R. Swindoll. Copyright © 2018. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries. All rights reserved.

The full devotional can be purchased at https://www.tyndale.com/p/good-morning-lord-can-we-talk/9781414380681.