This 3,000-Year-Old Biblical Lesson Still Applies Today

There’s a lot of talk these days about “winning,” but very little discussion or explanation about what true victory really looks like.

There’s certainly nothing wrong with setting goals and trying to persevere to reach them, but there is something off-kilter when our goals and aspirations are sought without God’s guidance.

In the end, our motivation—and inspiration—matter.

Why are we doing what we’re doing? What’s our end goal? These are introspective questions we should always be asking. Proverbs 21:2 (NIV) tells us, “A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart.”

In the end, we can make all the plans we want. Some of us might even end up exceeding our goals monetarily, or by gaining more prestige and honor than we could have ever imagined. The crazy thing, though, is that none of that really matters.

What truly matters is whether we sought God and allowed Him to direct our paths along the course He has set for our lives. When the dust settles and all is said and done, no one will care what we’ve accomplished, how much money we’ve made or how well people knew us.

Our culture has confused legacy, but Solomon makes it pretty clear in Proverbs 21:31: It’s not about us; it’s about Him. He writes, “The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but victory is of the Lord.” Just one verse before that, he noted, “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord” (Prov. 21:30, NIV).

God will let us make our own decisions, but those decisions won’t necessarily land us where He wants us to be. We need to step outside of ourselves to ask: “God, what’s your plan for my life?” As I said in my last devotional, that process starts with prayer.

We live in a culture that tells us that “winning” here on Earth is what really matters. This can lead us to the wrong destination. Having a more eternal perspective and placing it all in God’s hands is what real victory looks like.

Proverbs 21:21 (MEV) reminds us, “He who follows after righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor.” Solomon reminds us that any money made by “a lying tongue” is fleeting and a deadly snare; he also encourages us to remember the poor and to live honestly.

So, are you pursuing a life of righteousness? Let’s make it less about us and more about Him. Let’s be better.

Billy Hallowell is a journalist, author and the director of communications and content for PureFlix.com. He’s also the former senior editor at Faithwire.com and the former faith and culture editor at TheBlaze.

This article originally appeared at pathufind.com.