People all over the world are striving to become a “success” by making a certain amount of money, having status on a job, wearing a certain brand of clothes, driving a certain kind of car, etc. etc. etc. Our society measures success based on what YOU have done, what YOU have accomplished and what YOU have accumulated. It is based entirely on YOU. It requires focusing all of your time, energy, and resources on collecting accomplishments. When I was a kid we measured success on what your batting average was in baseball. What your grade point average was in high school and college, and then what your salary was in your career. Just to be clear, I’m not against any of those things at all, but they are all only a byproduct of God’s true success. God’s definition of success is totally contrary to the world’s definition.
In Genesis 39:2, it’s clear that in God’s eyes, success is not what you have, but rather who you have. Joseph literally had nothing materially, but at the same time, he had everything because the Lord was with him. It is the presence of the Lord in your life that makes you a true success. God sees your relationship with Him as the only thing that you need for every success in your life. I can’t imagine being in a worse place than Joseph in the context of this story. He was betrayed by his brothers, separated from his father, his mother was dead, and now he was standing before a crowd in chains, completely naked and being sold as a slave. And yet God called Joseph a successful and prosperous man because the Lord was with him. As He did for Joseph, God is going to bring such supernatural progress in your life, you’re going to look back one day in amazement at the transformation. You ARE a success, because God is with you. Right here, right now.
